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Crazed Aussie road hog makes SA’s driving habits seem mild

Sydney police arrested an SUV driver after he was allegedly involved in eight hit-and-run road accidents – in three hours.

road

Image via Adobe Stock

In South Africa we’re sadly known for our wild, erratic and illegal driving habits and road etiquette. And our minibus taxis, with the odd exception, take bad driving to a whole new level.

But a driver in the Australian state of New South Wales surpassed even our taxis this week when he was involved in no less than eight hit-and-run accidents in a wild three-hour spree in and around Sydney.

Driver allegedly used his SUV ‘as a weapon’ on the road

During his morning trail of destruction he damaged eight vehicles and injured three people, requiring two of them to be hospitalised.

In each instance he failed to stop his rented SUV to check on those injured or to provide assistance.

After a state-wide police alert and appeal for public help, the man was arrested the following day at a petrol station and is now undergoing a mental health assessment in hospital. Depending on the outcome, he will then be charged with multiple criminal offences.

A police spokesperson said he was potentially using his SUV “as a weapon”.

“This is not negligent driving,” she said. “This is deliberate, dangerous and predatory driving.”

Drama began with a morning stop for speeding

The drama unfolded at around 8:20am when the SUV was pulled over by police near Sydney for speeding. He then drove into the city and, less than an hour after first being pulled over, collided with a cyclist who suffered minor injuries.

About five minutes later he is alleged to have hit another cyclist, who suffered five fractured ribs and a fractured collarbone.

A half-hour on, and the same SUV was driving in a tunnel when it rammed a Mercedes-Benz sedan from behind, causing it to spin out of control and block all three traffic lanes. The driver was hospitalised.

Road carnage continued across Sydney

Only minutes later, a Land Rover Sport was hit by the SUV and, as the driver noticed another motorist taking down his details, he attempted to ram this vehicle but instead hit another passing car in the road.

A short while after that, a 36-year-old man was cycling along a suburban street when was hit from behind by the SUV, knocking him off his bike. He sustained cuts to his left elbow and back.

Still the drama didn’t end. At 11:15am, less than three hours after his speeding stop, the man allegedly drove into another vehicle in a different suburb. The driver of that vehicle told police the SUV drove beside her and then deliberately swerved into her lane and hit her before leaving the scene.

Also read: Watch: Police stop ‘hysssssterical’ speedster with a unique excuses