Man wants ban on 'reckless' boy racers after dog killed in Christchurch hit-and-run

Thursday, 22 August 2019

Per Jacobsen wants 'reckless' drivers to take care on Christchurch's Port Hills after his pet dog was run over and killed.

A Christchurch man has vowed to rid his suburb of 'reckless' boy racers after his family dog was killed in a hit and run.

Cashmere resident Per Jacobsen was taking his two jack russell terriers, Andy and Jack Sparrow, for their daily walk along Dyers Pass Rd on Sunday evening when tragedy hit.

'I heard this popping like a couple of turbos backfiring and I instantly thought this is going to be a couple of boy racers racing up the hill as they do every single day,' he said.

'I took my camera out and just filmed and made myself known as sometimes I do that and they slow down … but as they came around the corner one of the turbos backfired again like a big [gunshot] and [Jack Sparrow] got freaked out and began running and hopped out onto the road.

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A screenshot of a video Jacobson took seconds before a car fatally hit his dog.

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Jacobsen says Jack Sparrow was 'the greatest little family dog' and loved playing with tennis balls.

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'They just carried on; the first car avoids him but the back car just runs him over and then sped off.'

The Jacobsens buried Jack Sparrow in their backyard.

Jacobsen swooped Jack Sparrow off the ground and ran home with him in his arms to try save his life.

'I was hoping maybe I could get him to the vet but he died about a minute later. I sort of felt him go all limp.'

Per Jacobsen with 4-year-old daughter Isabella.

Jacobsen broke the news to his wife and 4-year-old daughter, Isabella, the next day. A cross now marks his backyard burial site.

'He was the greatest little family dog. He had such a big heart and he loved his tennis balls.'

Dyers Pass Rd is a well-known boy racer hotspot and, according to NZ Transport Agency data, there have been 39 serious and five fatal crashes on the road since January 1, 2000.

Jacobsen said he felt an 'intense amount of anger' towards the boy racers.

Jack Sparrow, with Andy - the family's other pet dog.

'They've got no regard for us locals at all.'

Jacobsen has now turned his focus to getting rid of the boy racers cruising the Port Hills.

During the seven years he has lived in the area, he has experienced boy racers speeding, yelling abuse, and throwing glass bottles out windows.

'I don't want them terrorising our lives or the local community. I want a no cruising zone right through the whole area.'

A police spokeswoman said officers received a report of the collision involving a car and a dog about 10.45pm on Sunday.

She said initial reports suggested the two vehicles were racing at the time of the incident. No arrests have been made.

Cashmere ward councillor Tim Scandrett said issues with boy racers speeding, breaking fences, burning out cars and throwing glass bottles on the Port Hills were frequently raised by residents.

Dyers Pass Rd was part of their 'circuit' and something needed to be done before someone was seriously hurt, he said.

'Per's dog was run over but it could've been a child.'

Scandrett has previously lobbied to implement a cruising ban on the road and a night-time vehicle ban, but both were unsuccessful.

He plans to meet with Cashmere residents next week to discuss options to deter boy racers from the area.

Enforcing a no cruising zone, adding more signage and installing speed bumps were some of the potential changes that would be discussed, he said.

In April this year, Christchurch City councillors approved changing the speed limit along the non-residential stretch of the road to 60kmh, down from 100kmh between Summit and Governors Bay roads and 70kmh between Hackthorne and Summit roads.