Driver bashed in copycat attack

The driver was left unconscious. Picture / Dean Purcell

An Auckland truck driver was attacked yesterday in what appears to have been a copycat of a road- rage incident involving a hammer two weeks ago.

Daily Freight driver Paul Molnar was last night nursing a head wound, bruising and swelling after being assaulted by a motorist in Onehunga.

The 41-year-old West Auckland man does not remember being struck, but he does recall the motorist saying he wanted to smack him "with a hammer like that other guy".

It is believed the man was referring to an incident in Mangere in which truck driver Barry Fletcher was attacked with a hammer. The man convicted of the attack claimed Mr Fletcher had cut him off and put his family's life at risk.

The motorist who attacked Mr Molnar yesterday implied the same thing.

Mr Molnar said he was driving along Church St in Onehunga just before midday when he noticed a car in merging traffic. The driver made no attempt to merge and got stuck behind turning traffic in the right lane.

Mr Molnar continued on before stopping at a carpet and rug shop on Onehunga Mall to make a delivery.

When he returned to his truck he was approached by the driver of the car who had followed him.

"He said I cut him off. I said, well no, you were in that blue car and you ran out of room."

The man, who made reference to having a baby in his car, accused Mr Molnar of cutting him off and endangering his baby's life.

"He said, 'I feel like belting ya ... smacking you with a hammer like that the other guy'.

"I said if you do that you are just going to get in trouble so I'm going to leave now. The next thing I knew I was waking up on the ground."

Passing truckies Martin Kemp and Keith Marshall saw Mr Molnar struggling to get up off the ground and stopped to help.

When they saw blood running down his neck they called for police and an ambulance.

Mr Molnar was taken to Auckland City Hospital and treated for what looked like small puncture wounds in the back of his head.

Police investigating the attack are not sure how Mr Molnar was knocked unconscious but believe a weapon was used.

They are seeking a Polynesian aged 30 to 40, about 170cm tall, driving a light-blue, four-door late-model car, possibly with a baby in it.

Contact the Onehunga CIB on 622-8727 with information.