Legs broken in road rage attack

The injured man is in danger of losing his legs. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A man is in hospital with two broken legs after a road-rage incident that spiralled into a hit-and-run in inner Auckland.

Witnesses watched the drama unfold about 10am yesterday when a man leaped out of his car and strode in front of a black Saab outside Galbraith's Alehouse in Mt Eden Rd, near its intersection with Upper Symonds St.

Galbraith's employee Adam Clack was outside having a cigarette and saw the Saab driver having "some sort of commotion with the guy on the road".

"I think they were just in each other's way and the Asian guy slammed his hand on the Saab driver's bonnet," he said. "The next thing I saw was the Saab guy accelerate forward, knocking the guy over."

Mr Clack said the car accelerated at such speed its wheels spun before it hit the man, knocking him to the ground.

"He seemed to be in quite a lot of pain, he was screaming."

The driver sped off without leaving details or stopping to help, said Mr Clack, who phoned the police.

The victim was taken to Auckland City Hospital with multiple breaks to both legs and underwent surgery.

It is understood that although his injuries were not life-threatening, he was in danger of losing his legs.

Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said police had tracked down the Saab driver, who was "assisting police with inquiries".

"It's likely he'll be charged, though I don't know when," she said.

But witness Jamie Ruscoe said police told her the driver phoned them and confessed, saying, "I did it."

"Apparently he refused to come back to the scene to talk to them, but he told them who he was and where he lived," the 22-year-old bartender said.

Ms Ruscoe was in her flat near the intersection when she heard a crash, followed by yelling.

"I looked out my window and saw the black convertible drive off."

"The guy was lying on the middle of the road and his leg was snapped ... It was going completely the wrong way. You could hear him screaming."

Hannah Thompson, who was working in a shop across the road, heard "horrible screaming for a prolonged amount of time".

A woman in another shop heard a loud bang but thought nothing of it until she heard the screaming.

"He was in mega pain by the looks of things."