Road rage in a Dunedin supermarket car park led to a learner driver following a man for 24km then ramming his vehicle, a court has heard.
On April 8 last year, Anastassia Le-Mon Makere Matiu Rota, 28, was at Pak’nSave when a motorist allegedly cut her off, the Dunedin District Court heard last week.
Rota pursued the driver through the car park then left her vehicle to yell at him.
As she approached the victim, he reversed and tried to drive around her.
While making the manoeuvre, Rota’s partner jumped on to the bonnet of the moving vehicle until it reached the carpark exit.
Rota phoned police, activated her hazard lights and followed the victim on to the Southern Motorway.
As the victim again attempted to drive around Rota, she reversed and crashed into the rear left passenger door.
When spoken to by police, she denied reversing into the man’s car but said ‘‘she did not want him to get away with what he did’’.
Judge Robinson said the woman’s criminal history showed ‘‘persistent and very aggressive conduct’’.
Rota was convicted of dangerous driving and wilful damage, and was sentenced to six months’ supervision.
She was also disqualified for seven months and ordered to pay $2198 reparation.
