Jailed road-rage attacker blames upbringing

Engineering student Uram Han was already having a bad day when a pedestrian tapped on the side window of his car in annoyance at almost being run down while crossing the road.

Han, 23, began a three-year jail sentence yesterday for using his car as a weapon in a road-rage attack that forced his victim to seek refuge in a restaurant.

In Christchurch District Court Judge Christopher Somerville outlined the "bizarre" circumstances of the attack when sentencing Han on a raft of driving charges resulting from the January 31 attack and a further driving incident while he was on bail.

Korean-born Han stopped his car after pedestrian Douglas Chapman tapped his keys on the window, then reversed on to the footpath and drove at Mr Chapman, smashing into concrete planters and hitting a restaurant's front doors.

Mr Chapman tried to get around Han's car, but Han drove at him again, forcing him to take evasive action. Han got out of his car to confront Mr Chapman, who took refuge in the restaurant.

Han had to be restrained by members of the public and screamed obscenities at Mr Chapman before getting back in his car and driving off at speed.

Located by a police patrol car and signalled to stop, Han sped away, forcing other vehicles to the side of the road. He eventually lost control of his car which crashed on to a raised median strip.

Three police officers and members of the public were needed to restrain Han so he could be arrested.

From that incident, Han admitted charges of using his car as a weapon, driving recklessly and failing to stop for a police car using its lights and siren.

The court was told that while on bail and forbidden to drive, Han was seen at the wheel of his car with a rear-seat passenger hanging out the window and another standing with his upper body through the sunroof. From that incident he pleaded guilty to careless driving, failing to stop and resisting arrest.

Han's lawyer, Judith Walsh, said there was a psychiatric background and Han had a problem with his anger. On the day of the road rage, incident Han was angry because he had just seen a psychiatrist who had been unwilling to help him.

Han, she said, blamed all his problems on pressure during his upbringing. She urged Judge Somerville to impose a community-based sentence so Han could continue his second-year engineering studies.

But Judge Somerville noted that Han had been convicted for a 2004 incident in which he had also used his car as a weapon.

- NZPA