The family of a carjacking victim forced to pay for his assailants' McDonald's meals are rushing from India to be with him at his bedside.
The 21-year-old Katikati orchard worker originally from India was last night in an induced coma at Waikato Hospital, breathing with a ventilator.
He had suffered
a broken arm, leg and head injuries after his Nissan Presea, which was packed with partygoers, rolled in the Karangahake Gorge, south of Paeroa overnight on Friday.
Detective Sergeant Glen Tinsley of Waihi police said his two young assailants, both understood to be aged 15, carjacked the man's car outside a Waihi birthday party, that had been gatecrashed by up to 60 people. Police believe the two teenagers had been texting two 14-year-old girls the man had picked up earlier in the evening.
The two alleged attackers forced the car's owner to pass over his keys and were then joined by the two girls to drive to McDonald's in Paeroa.
The owner joined the group hoping they would return his car but ended up paying for their takeaways.
Police believe a fight broke out between the man and one of the 15-year-olds sitting in the front passenger seat, causing the crash just before midnight near Waikino, SH2 on their return to Waihi.
Police want to talk to anyone who saw the 1996 silver Nissan Presea between 9.30pm Friday and 12.30am Saturday.
