A man has been left traumatised and nursing serious injuries after being bashed on an Auckland street in an alleged road-rage incident.
Police attended an incident on Mahia Rd, Manurewa outside a petrol station on Thursday afternoon, where a man was allegedly beaten up, robbed and his car damaged in a collision with another vehicle carrying a group of people.
Police were able to locate and charge one person in relation to the incident.
The victim, a 32-year-old Pukekohe resident, was driving home from work following his usual route, Mahia Rd-Great South Rd-Southern Motorway, when he said a car hit him on the right side.
"I thought it was an accident so I came out to get their details.
"People came out and started attacking me, they wanted to snatch my phone.
"One of them pushed me and then punched me twice, my jaw broke at that time," the man, who did not want to be named, told the Herald.
As he was calling the police, he saw the offenders steal his belongings from the car.
"I saw them, I took photos of them as well. I don't put valuable belongings in my car so they did not take that much.
"I had done nothing wrong to them," the young father said.
The incident had traumatised him and his family, he said.
"I am scared. I am in big shock. My life is becoming hell because of this trauma. We work hard to live here. I have a 10-month-old baby to look after.
"I did not fight back or resist because I was thinking of my family, what would happen to them if I got seriously hurt.
"Walking around the streets is not safe anymore... driving is not safe."
The man said nobody came to help him other than a witness who gave a statement to the police.
The man was admitted to Middlemore Hospital, where he stayed overnight and had surgery the next day to insert a metal plate into his jaw.
"Doctors have said the nerves on the right side of my face are damaged which could be permanent, if progress is not made in the next six to 12 months."
A police spokesperson confirmed one person had been charged following an incident in Manurewa on Thursday, October 13.
"Around 3.48pm that day, two vehicles were involved in a minor collision outside a petrol station on Mahia Rd.
"Three people from one of the vehicles got out and one of them has punched the other driver in the face.
"A second person has then taken a bag from the victim's vehicle and fled on foot.
"Police responded and subsequently found the offender with the bag.
"He was charged with theft and is due to appear in the Manukau District Court on 20 October."
The victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries, and was recovering, the spokesperson said.
"Police continue to make inquiries into the incident."