Doctor punched by gang member

Press, 10 February 1986, Page 20

Doctor punched by gang member

PA Napier A doctor was punched in the face for trying to save a dying Mongrel Mob member at an accident near Awatoto on Wednesday night. The dead man was

Ivan Ropiha, aged 18. Mr Ropiha was a passenger in one of two cars which collided on a straight section of State highway 2, about two kilometres south of Napier’s Marine Parade. The doctor, who did not want to be named, was attacked by another gang member who kept rescuers at bay for 10 minutes before other members were asked to restrain him. The man later collapsed, apparently from

internal injuries he had suffered in the accident.

The doctor, asked if he thought he could have saved Mr Ropiha’s life had he not been prevented from helping, said he was unsure.

“It is a difficult question. Probably not, I think he was dying. I had been checking basic things — whether his breathing passages were clear. I think his injuries were further up, and there is not a lot you can do there.”

The doctor said the man had attacked other bystanders trying to help before fellow gang members had restrained him. Once the police arrived they stood by the doctor as-gie treated other vic-

tims. About 12 people were believed to be in the two vehicles and four occupants of one of them were thrown out as the car rolled off the road. One of these was a pregnant woman who was thrown two metres into bush. Three persons were seriously injured. Mr Ropiha was thrown on to the roadside. An onlooker said the scene “looked like a battlefield — there were people lying about everywhere.”

He said he was upset by the behaviour of those involved in the accident. The police said the accident appeared to have happened when one car attempted to pass the they