Man charged over vicious road rage attack on Tullamarine Fwy
A CRAIGIEBURN man has been charged following a terrifying road rage attack on the Tullamarine Fwy during which a school teacher feared she was going to die.
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A MAN has been charged following a terrifying road rage attack on the Tullamarine Fwy during which a school teacher feared she was going to die.
The Craigieburn man was charged with multiple offences including conduct endangering life and assault with a weapon.
Police swooped on the 27-year-old this evening following Saturday’s frenzied rampage in which he tailgated schoolteachers Leigh Mahady, 62, and Julie Dougherty, 60, as they drove to Melbourne Airport.
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The accused’s truck began tooting its horn before pulling up next to the women and sideswiping them, pushing the car towards the concrete road barrier and damaging doors, a side mirror and tyres, police say.
Ms Mahady said she followed the truck and pulled over when she saw it had stopped on the side of the road.
The women were planning to exchange names and numbers for insurance purposes.
While the women were inspecting the damage of their car, the truck driver returned armed with a hammer and stick, police say.
Terrifying footage obtained by 7 News shows the enraged truckie charge at Ms Mahady.
Armed with a hammer and stick, he knocked her to the ground.
“He became very aggressive,” Ms Mahady said.
“He threatened that he knew my numberplate, knew where I live and would come and get me.”
Her friend, Ms Dougherty, watched as the attack unfolded.
She feared for her life but summoned the courage to take a photo of the truckie’s registration plate.
She was then chased and taken to the ground.
The truckie snatched her phone and stood over her with the hammer.
“He had the steel mullet right up close to my head,” she said.
“I thought I was going to die.”
Ms Mahady got to her feet and confronted her attacker, who viciously shoved her again.
She refused to leave until he returned her friend’s phone.
The women then reversed and the attack continued as the truckie chased after the victims’ car as they sought to escape.
The truck driver told the women to get back in the car and struck the car multiple times, causing further damage, a police spokeswoman said.
He then pelted his hammer at the back window, causing it to smash. He lost control of the hammer and it fell into the back seat, police said.
Investigators believe the man may have been working at the time of the incident.
“He was wearing a uniform,” Ms Mahady said.
Ms Dougherty said when the man was driving, he was motioning that “he was going to kill us”.
“All I could see was things flashing through my head,” Ms Dougherty said.
“No one has the right to treat anyone like this. Nobody.”
Ms Mahady said she didn’t panic when the truck began to ram her car.
“I just kept my wits about me and knew if I’d I keep driving straight, I wouldn’t impede on any other cars,” she said.
Senior Sergeant Brad Towers said the actions of the truck driver were dangerous.
“To have a driver’s licence is a privilege not a right and people like this on the road is just too dangerous,” he said.
Sen Sgt Towers said the truck driver will face a range of traffic offences and possibly criminal offences when apprehended.
The pair then reported the incident at a local police station.
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