Man hit by car during skid session on beach south of Auckland
Wednesday, 29 November 2017
The driver of a car which struck a man while doing skids on a west coast beach will face charges.
Police have also impounded the boy racer's vehicle, believed to be an RX7, while the man struck remains in hospital with head injuries.
Footage of the incident that unfolded on the black sands of Karioitahi Beach, in the Franklin district, on Sunday was widely shared on Facebook on Tuesday.
Warning: viewers may find the video below distressing.
It shows a white car doing skids around another Mitsubishi vehicle on the shores of the west coast beach, surrounded by people.
Video shows a man in a blue top, carrying a type of pole, walking towards the vehicle. The RX7 skids around the other racer before striking the man and carrying him on the bonnet for a several metres.
The car then comes to a stop. The man slides off and appears to confront the driver who steps out of the car.
'Police are investigating a serious incident at Karioitahi Beach on Sunday afternoon where a pedestrian on the beach who tried to intervene was struck and flung into the windscreen by a car that was doing extended skids on the sand right in front of the main carpark,' Sergeant Dean Borrell of Counties Manukau police said.
'Police were made aware of the incident shortly afterwards.'
Police impounded the vehicle and spoke to several witnesses at the scene, he said.
'So the driver will subsequently face charges.'
Charges could include assault with a vehicle and dangerous or reckless driving.
'It's very risky and dangerous behaviour given the number of sunbathers and swimmers around.'
The middle aged man from Waiuku who was struck by the vehicle was subsequently taken to Middlemore Hospital with head injuries.
Borrell said the man was at the beach with family members when he went to confront the driver.
'Looks like there were a few people who were trying to stop the vehicle.'
The beach is legally classed as a road, Borrell said, and any vehicles using the beach must have a permit from council.
'Cars skidding in the main carpark and swimming area are highly dangerous to other beach users. There is about 10 kilometres of sand and that behaviour doesn't need to occur right where everyone is.
'Unfortunately with summer here, any regular users of the beach will know that idiots driving dangerously on the beach and the totally inconsiderate behaviour is a common occurrence.'
There was little cellphone reception at the west coast location and therefore any emergency calls could be delayed, he said.
'And realistically we can't be at the beach constantly or attend immediately if police staff are in demand elsewhere across the district.
'All users of the beach need to respect others and be tolerant that people are enjoying a range of diverse activities at the beach, there is enough space for this to continue if everyone uses common sense.
If trouble continued it could likely lead to a ban on vehicles on the beaches.
'I know the offending drivers won't read this but if you witness such behaviour at the beach drive to the top of the hill and call 111.'
Davey Kaumavae was enjoying a family fun day at the beach spot when the cars began doing skids.
'After about 10 minutes of being there I saw three or four boy-racers coming down the hill,' he told NZME.
He got out his phone and recorded the incident.
'Afterward we walked up to see him and if he was all right. There was a lot of blood,' Kaumavae said.
The struck man and the driver get into a brief altercation before the driver and passenger get back into the vehicle.
Screenshots of the video appear to show the driver then leaving the beach shortly after.
Other video of the afternoon shows the two cars - a Mitsubishi and Mazda - performing burnouts across the west coast beach, at one point hitting the water.
To drive a vehicle on Kariotahi beach drivers need a permit from Auckland Council.