Steven Price, 74, can't understand why police ever charged him in connection with an alleged road rage attack involving a Ponsonby chief executive and a $430,000 supercar. Photo / Dean Purcell
Steven Price, 74, can't understand why police ever charged him in connection with an alleged road rage attack involving a Ponsonby chief executive and a $430,000 supercar. Photo / Dean Purcell
A pensioner allegedly attacked by a Ponsonby chief executive in a road rage incident involving a $430,000 supercar says he feels intense relief after police dropped their prosecution against him.
However, he can’t understand why he was ever charged and says the experience has been extremely distressing for himand his family.
Steven Price, 74, spoke to the Herald this week after police withdrew a fighting in public charge they had earlier laid against the North Shore grandfather in connection with the August 2024 altercation.
Price suffered multiple injuries, including concussion, for which he is still receiving treatment. He claimed his glasses were smashed and his hearing aid was knocked from his ear. He says the incident had a pronounced effect on his life physically and psychologically.
“Then they came back and gave me a summons to appear in court. I couldn’t believe it.
“Just the injuries and events that day and how it panned out that I’ve ended up getting charged.”
Medical documents viewed by the Herald catalogue the injuries Price suffered after the two men’s vehicles “bumped” on the Northern Motorway, followed by a physical altercation when they both pulled over near Silverdale.
“Contusion” of the face, scalp and neck. Contusion to the knee, lower leg and back. “Open wound” on his knee.
The then 73-year-old suffered a ruptured hamstring, scrapes, bruises and concussion after an alleged road rage incident involving a high-performance sports car near Silverdale.
A ruptured hamstring and ligament damage to his shoulder, both of which required physiotherapy and acupuncture.
Concussion “from assault”, resulting in forgetfulness, difficulty finding words, along with dizziness and headaches.
Price said he also suffered broken teeth that required capping.
Learning police had finally abandoned the case against him brought immense relief, Price said.
“I heard [earlier this month] there was a good likelihood that my case would be dropped. I thought, ‘Whew, yeah’. I just felt so good, but I was waiting for someone to confirm it and just felt a bit anxious.
“When I finally found out [this week] it was a huge relief. I rang everybody.”
Steven Price, 74, can't understand why police ever charged him in connection with an alleged road rage attack involving a Ponsonby CEO and $430k supercar. Photo / Dean Purcell
The Herald asked police why the case against Price had been dropped.
A spokeswoman said: “The charge was withdrawn because ultimately the Solicitor-General’s guidelines for prosecution were not met.”
A spokesman for the pensioner’s family, Matt Blomfield, said being charged with fighting in public was “deeply distressing for him and his loved ones”.
Blomfield – who was working pro bono on Price’s defence – claimed his client’s “hearing aids and glasses were also damaged during the alleged assault”.
He claims he was repeatedly punched and kicked about the head and upper body, and now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
However, the chief executive denies wrongdoing and plans to defend the case at trial.
The Ponsonby CEO will go on trial at North Shore District Court charged with assaults with intent to injure in connection with the alleged road rage incident. Photo / NZME
In an interview last year, he said it was he who was attacked by the pensioner and “there’s the possibility that I suffered injuries”.
Along with the assault with intent charge, the chief executive was also charged with dangerous driving.
He was supposed to have gone on trial earlier this month and the pensioner was set to be called to give evidence as a police witness.
However, prosecutor Jay Choi asked for an adjournment, saying there had been “new discoveries that changed the landscape of the prosecution case”.
Defence lawyer Guyon Foley is trying to get proper disclosure from police. Photo / Dean Purcell
The chief executive’s lawyer, Guyon Foley, told the court he had only just learned of the new charge against his client and “firmly opposed” any adjournment.
Foley criticised the prosecution for failing to provide adequate disclosure. He had been trying to obtain audio of a 16-minute 111 call his client made to police on the day of the incident but the recording was yet to be provided.
Foley asked Judge Anna Fitzgibbon to set a deadline and clear instructions for police to complete the necessary disclosure requirements to prevent further “stumbling”.
“We’re not asking for special treatment ... but for the prosecutor to perform her duty.”
The case was adjourned until next month.
The Herald argued that suppression orders preventing the chief executive being identified should lapse, given the importance of open justice and public interest in the case.
However, the judge ordered that interim suppression should continue until the man’s next appearance, to give police and the defence time to make submissions on whether he should be publicly named.
Lane Nichols is a senior journalist and Auckland desk editor for the New Zealand Herald with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
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