Two teenagers who allegedly punched and hit a Port Chalmers taxi driver with a glass bottle on Christmas Day were trying to bring open alcohol into the vehicle, police say.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said the driver also became the victim of an attempted carjacking after asking the two teenagers not to bring their open drinks into his vehicle.
The two 17-year-olds, a boy and a girl, went on to kick in the taxi’s taillight, jump on the roof of the vehicle, smash the rear windscreen and break the taxi sign on the roof, Snr Sgt Bond said.
The two teenagers allegedly jumped into the taxi driver’s vehicle while carrying opened alcohol vessels at the intersection of Beach and George Sts, Port Chalmers, at 10.50pm on Christmas Day.
The taxi driver told the pair they could not bring the opened drinks into the vehicle, and in response the pair allegedly began their assault.
The boy got out of the car, opened the driver’s door and ‘‘punched’’ the man’s face with a glass bottle.
The victim then got out of his vehicle and tried to defend himself.
After he left the vehicle, the girl jumped from the back of the taxi and attempted to get into the driver’s seat and allegedly steal the taxi.
However, the driver managed to turn off the ignition and pull the girl out of his vehicle.
While doing this, both teenagers continued to kick and threaten the man, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Despite the assault, the victim managed to re-enter his vehicle.
However, the boy then kicked in one of the rear taillights, Snr Sgt Bond said.
The boy then proceeded to climb on to the roof of the taxi and smash the taxi sign before jumping down on to the rear windscreen, which then shattered.
The pair then took off, running up nearby Mount St.
Police were called, and the victim was spoken to as were nearby members of the public who had filmed some of the interaction, Snr Sgt Bond said.
As a result, officers located the pair at 1.40am on Boxing Day at an Albertson Ave address, where they were both arrested.
Snr Sgt Bond said yesterday charges were still being considered for the pair.
However, they would likely be charged with assault, intentional damage, threats and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle.
The pair would both appear in the Dunedin Youth Court tomorrow.
