Raetihi man shoots up own car

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 439, 9 June 1992, Page 7

Raetihi man shoots up own car

A Raetihi man took out his frustrations on his own car on Friday night, when he fired 20 shotgun blasts into his own car. The incident caused distress among the man's neighbours who called the police, sparking a major armed-offenders squad call-out involving about 15 police from Raetihi, Waiouru, Taihape, Wanganui and Taumarunui. The 33 year old man, who was bom in Raetihi but had only lived there for about the last month in recent times, had an argument with his wife at the Raetihi Hotel sometime around 11pm. He left the hotel, got into his car and drove it at the doors of the public bar. He then drove to the house in Grey Street, Raetihi, where he and his family were staying with relatives. He parked the car and, with the shotgun he had obtained from his father, fired 20 rounds into the Mazda Cosmo car. The man was found sitting next to his car at about 3- 3.30am, with the shotgun pointed at himself. • A Rangataua man was followed to his home on Friday morning, assaulted then had his car stolen. The victim was followed by three people in a white Corolla hatchback to his Tau St address, where he was approached by one of the passengers. He was punched to the ground and his keys stolen. The victim and a friend then drove around Rangataua to find the offenders. They returned to his house and called the police and, meanwhile, his red Toyota Corolla GT was stolen. Police found the car the next morning, minus some of the man's property. A 16 year old Ohakune youth is being dealt with through the youth aid process, and enquiries are continuing.