Witness tells of horror Port Melbourne road rage attack amid bipartisan calls to deter dangerous drivers

A WITNESS has described how a group of six men “who looked like electricians” turned on the police after attacking a truck driver and smashing his windscreen in Port Melbourne, in the latest in a spate of road rage attacks.

A WITNESS has described how a group of six men “who looked like electricians” turned on police after attacking a truck driver and smashing his windscreen in Port Melbourne this morning, in the latest in a spate of road rage attacks.

Police are investigating the incident which is believed to have started when the truck driver allegedly clipped the side of a van travelling south on the Bolte Bridge just after 8am.

The driver of the van followed the truck to Inglis Street, Port Melbourne.

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The truck driver, reportedly hemmed in by three vans, was then pulled from his cabin as another smashed his truck with a metal bar.

Witness Andrew told radio 3AW he was doing a delivery outside Rubira’s restaurant in Port Melbourne this morning when he saw it all play out.

“I heard of a commotion, I ran around the corner, and there was three vans: there was one parked in front of the truck; one behind the truck; and one on the side of the truck. They seemed to have him blocked in,” he said.

“They all ran to the cabin, they pulled him out of his truck and they were hitting him in the street, and one of the guys was hitting his truck.

“They all seemed to work for the same company, they looked like they were electricians, they had their company logo on the van.”

The scene in Port Melbourne after a road rage incident involving a van and a truck.

A truck and police cars at the scene of the attack.

A man on the ground at the scene of the Port Melbourne road rage attack.

“Within seconds the police were there. The police sort of threw two of them on the ground and started arresting them and the other four guys, they started attacking the police. They got really aggressive towards the police.

“The police sort of threatened them with capsicum spray. Within a couple of minutes traffic was building up, and then three or four police cars turned up and they arrested all the other guys and put them on the ground.

“The truck driver was quite shaken. He must have been on the phone to the police because the police got there very quickly.”

Andrew said at least six guys were arrested.

“I only saw two or three guys attacking the guy,” he added.

Victoria Police has denied that capsicum spray was deployed during the incident.

Police arrested a 31-year-old Roxburgh Park man who has since been released pending further enquiries.

The police did not provide details of any violence directed towards police other than to say there were no injuries sustained.

It comes as a spate of violent, drug-fuelled road rage attacks has sparked bipartisan calls to clamp down on aggressive drivers.

Yesterday Elten Gevergizyan, 27, appeared at Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court accused of producing a hammer and threatening to kill victims, Leigh Mahady, 62, and Julie Dougherty, 60, before viciously attacking them on the roadside.

Elten Gevergizyan escorted into Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court. Picture: David Crosling

Victims Leigh Mahady and Julie Dougherty. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Details of the attack came as the Herald Sun revealed another horrifying attack which left a young Sunbury family fearing for their lives.

Graphic footage obtained by the Herald Sun shows the moment an alleged maniac drug driver stomped on the roof of the family’s car, causing it to cave in on an 11-year-old girls’ head.

The alleged driver, a 24-year-old Sunbury man, was charged and released on bail.

The state government and opposition have vowed to act to protect drivers in light of the extreme road rage violence incidents.

Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the government and police were “looking at” ways to deal with the scourge, and that violence on the roads was unacceptable.

The drug driver climbed on top of a family car and stomped in the roof outside Sunbury police station.

Sunbury Mum and her kids, aged 4 and 11, stand in the spot their car was rammed during a horrific road rage incident outside Sunbury police station. Picture: David Caird

“It is very concerning that people cannot just manage their behaviour, manage their anger and feel the need to go take it out on somebody else, whether that person did something wrong or not,” he said.

“People need to calm down. This is where you end up in potential situations where someone can get seriously injured or killed. You just don’t need this type of behaviour on our roads.”

Police Minister Lisa Neville said education and awareness measures would be considered to “minimise driver aggression on the roads.”

Shadow Attorney-General John Pesutto said “something must be done” to protect innocent road users.

Mr Pesutto said the coalition would consider stronger sentencing for aggressive drivers if elected in November.

“We plan to address this escalation in road rage violence,” he said.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said road rage violence was becoming more common in Victoria and that drivers who use their cars as weapons deeply concerned police.

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