Elderly Dunedin driver ‘punched cyclist’ who squirted him with water

Police are seeking witnesses to the incident. Photo / File

A Dunedin motorist did not take too kindly to a cyclist squirting him with water after teaching him a lesson about his driving.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police were called to North Rd at 9.30am on Saturday after an argument on the road escalated into an assault.

A 42-year-old cyclist witnessed a driver cut off an elderly pedestrian which prompted him to “tell the driver off”.

The driver, a 79-year-old man, then became verbally aggressive following the telling off, which prompted the cyclist to squirt water at the driver while he was still in the car.

The driver then got out of his vehicle and punched the cyclist.

Police were called and spoke to both men.

The cyclist admitted he should not have squirted water at the 79-year-old, Snr Sgt Bond said.

Inquiries are ongoing as police were seeking witnesses and CCTV footage.

Later on in the day, police attended a second road assault in George St.

Snr Sgt Bond said a 28-year-old man “wanted” to get into fight with a delivery driver on a bike.

The man started assaulting the delivery driver for no apparent reason and knocked over his bike.

Both the man and the delivery driver threw punches at one another, and during the altercation the 28-year-old put the driver into a headlock and strangled him for some time.

The 28-year-old took off and was later located by police in Bond St threatening somebody over the phone.

The man was arrested and charged with assault and intent to injure.

He will appear in Dunedin District Court on Thursday.