Vic: Man "takes law into own hands" against drag racers

AAP General News (Australia)
02-18-2005
Vic: Man "takes law into own hands" against drag racers

MELBOURNE, Feb 18 AAP - A man who rammed two cars in Melbourne claims he was forced
to take the law into his own hands after being shot at and terrorised by a group of drag
racers.

The 62-year-old man, who did not want to be identified, said dragsters had used the
area as a racing strip for weeks and set cars alight, and an out-of-control car had killed
one of his dogs.

The man, who is the permanent caretaker of an industrial estate in Kirkham Road in
suburban West Keysborough, and lives in a caravan on site, said he would call police but
the culprits always seemed to get away.

He said last night he'd had enough and took matters into his own hands and rammed his
Dodge tray truck into two of the offending cars.

"They get here all the time and these blokes seem to get away before police get here
so I was determined that there was going to be somebody when the police did get here,"

he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

"I was going to disable the cars so they'd be still sitting there when the police came
and that's what I did.

"When the police arrived I was talking back on Triple-0 then, I'd rung them up and
I'd told Triple-0 what I'd done.

"I said the police car is there now and I'm going to walk down and surrender myself.

"I took the law into my own hands."

Police said they were called to Kirkham Road shortly after 11pm (AEDT) following reports
a Holden Commodore sedan and a Ford sedan had been rammed as they sat stationary on the
side of the road.

The Holden vehicle sustained extensive damage and is likely to be written off as a result.

Neither drivers nor occupants received any injuries, but both vehicles were towed from the scene.

The truck driver is expected to be charged on summons with conduct likely to cause
serious injury, driving in a manner dangerous and other traffic offences.

AAP ce/pb/sd

KEYWORD: RAM

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.