Man in court in relation to Tauranga road rage incident

A man is due back in court in two weeks charged with offending relating to alleged road rage in Tauranga last month.

On 20 May, Police received a number of reports from members of the public about the manner of driving of a utility vehicle, including an instance where the driver allegedly brandished a knife at a motorist.

Inspector Logan Marsh, Relieving Western Bay of Plenty Area Commander, says this week’s arrest comes after significant Police enquiries to locate the alleged offender, which culminated in Police executing a search warrant at a Welcome Bay address this week.

A 52-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday and appeared in Tauranga District Court yesterday, charged with operating a motor vehicle recklessly, and possession of an offensive weapon.

He has been remanded in custody to reappear on 11 July.

“We’d like to thank the public for the information they provided, which was a key component to our investigation,” Inspector Marsh says.

“Our teams have worked to locate the person responsible and I’d like to acknowledge their hard work.

“Police will continue to take action where we can against any dangerous driving activity on our roads,” he says.

Police continue to urge anybody who witnesses any dangerous or illegal behaviour to report it to Police.

Please call 111 if it is happening now, or make a report via 105 if it is after the fact. Information can also be reported anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.