By Heather McNeill
West Coast Highway in City Beach was closed after a violent altercation on Monday afternoon where a man was run down and attacked with a hammer.
The victim, aged 29, had his leg severed in the assault, which WA Police superintendent Manus Walsh said occurred around midday.
“Earlier today there’s been a verbal altercation between two males at a construction site in City Beach,” he said.
“The victim ran from the area and was chased by another man in silver Mazda utility. We are still in the early stages of investigating this incident, and we were working out what occurred at the scene.
“It is possible that the victim was struck by the vehicle and a secondary assault has then occurred by the offender with the use of a hammer.”
Walsh said the victim would likely have died at the scene, if not for the life-saving actions of an off-duty doctor who applied a tourniquet to his leg.
“We are very, very thankful for the off-duty doctor,” he said.
“This was a harrowing incident.”
The victim was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital and remains in a critical but stable condition.
Shortly after arriving at the scene of the attack, police arrested a 25-year-old man nearby, who has since been charged with attempting to kill.
It’s understood both men are known to each other.
Anyone with information or dashcam footage is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.