Police have charged two men over a terrifying alleged road rage incident.
The incident happened earlier this year in Lakemba in Sydney’s south-west when a group of NRL fans were on their way to a match.
At around 5.15pm on Friday, April 5, a 25-year-old man was driving a black van along Yerrick Road, Lakemba, when a Toyota Corolla reversed out of a driveway and cut him off.
The Toyota drove into oncoming traffic on Juno Parade, cut off the LDV again and stopped directly in front of his vehicle.
The male driver got out of the Toyota, allegedly brandishing a knife.
As he approached the LDV, the driver accelerated and struck the Toyota before being followed through nearby streets.
Earlier this week, a listener contacted 2GB’s Ben Fordham and revealed her grandson was a victim of the alleged attack.
She told Fordham that her grandson Brad, her 22-year-old granddaughter and a friend were on their way to an NRL match on April 5 when a man pulled up a white hatchback in front of them.
“My grandson made a man jump out of his car in extreme anger with a knife in his hand,” the listener said.
The occupants of the black car could be heard repeatedly saying, “Don’t get out of the car,” before the hooded man emerged from his car in the rain, reportedly brandishing a knife.
Brad’s sister said they had to ‘call the police’ before realizing their terrifying encounter wasn’t over – because the man was now following them
A white Toyota hatchback was seen overtaking the vehicle on the dashcam and stopping on the road
The terrifying incident was reported to police the same day and officers from the Campsie Police Area launched an investigation.
On Thursday evening, the Toyota’s registered owner, a 32-year-old man, was arrested after attending Campsie police station.
The man was charged with operating as an unlicensed car dealer, and the owner did not reveal the identity of the driver/passenger.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court on July 16.
Following further investigation, police arrested the alleged driver of the Toyota, a 27-year-old man, on Blaxcell Street in Granville at around 10.30am on Saturday.
He was taken to Granville Police Station and charged with knowingly driving a vehicle in a manner likely to endanger others, driving recklessly/furiously or dangerously, using offensive weapons with intent to commit an indictable offence, and destroying or damaging property.
He was refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.
The terrifying encounter left the black LDV vehicle damaged (photo)
Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that the 32-year-old owner of the Toyota was not in the vehicle at the time of the alleged road rage incident.
They also confirmed that the driver of the Toyota and the LDV are not known to each other.
In terrifying footage recorded from inside the car, Brad and the two passengers were heard repeatedly saying: “Don’t get out of the car,” before the man got out of his car in the rain, wearing a black hoodie and black shorts. and brandishing a knife.
The man then ran towards the LDV and hit the side of it.
Brad put his foot on the accelerator to avoid the man with the knife.
A crash was then heard and it appeared Brad’s vehicle struck the stationary white car as he tried to get away.
Brad, his sister and her boyfriend were heard asking each other why the man reacted the way he did.
“Didn’t you see what he did?” Brad asked.
“He had a knife in his hands,” the friend replied.
Brad’s sister said they had to ‘call the police’ before realizing their terrifying encounter wasn’t over – because the man was now following them.
“Oh my god, he’s coming after you, call the police,” a passenger could be heard saying.
One then said: ‘I’m scared, I’m scared, I’m scared, I’m scared.’
The trio eventually made it to safety and shared photos of the damaged vehicle, including the front passenger side, and scratches from the man’s knife.
‘They are very shocked by what happened. He had to go onto the footpath at certain points to get out of the path… because the man was chasing him.”