A hit-and-run crash during a gang confrontation left the victim in hospital for five months, Christchurch District Court was told today.
Sione Moli, a 23-year-old concrete worker from Australia, denies a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
At the start of the three-day trial today, crown prosecutor Tim Mackenzie said the incident happened outside a 21st birthday party in Christchurch in June last year.
Moli and a group of his friends were drinking, and some of the group he was with were invited to the party. About 20 of them arrived at the party in different cars.
After some taunts at the party between two groups with different gang affiliations, Moli's group were asked to leave by a man who was working as security.
They left the house, but then there were taunts and aggression on the street. The victim, Gary Kapea, answered the taunts, and bottles were thrown at Moli's car.
There was swearing, pushing and shoving, and fighting all down the street, Mr Mackenzie said.
Moli was driving around in his car, and came back as Mr Kapea was engaged in fighting with other people.
Mr Kapea threw a baseball bat at Moli's car.
Moli drove onto the pavement, hit Mr Kapea and crashed into a fence. Mr Kapea got stuck under the car, which kept driving.
He turned off the pavement and down the road for 50m to 60m. People were banging on the car, telling him to stop because Mr Kapea was under the car.
Mr Kapea was left on the road with life threatening injuries as Moli drove off.
He then drove to his mother's house and stored his car there.
His partner said Moli arrived home drunk and smelling of alcohol.
Moli delivered himself to police station after media attention, Mr McKenzie said.
At the police interview Moli said he saw a man with a bat, but didn't run anyone down on purpose.
Mr Kapea told the court that he remembered banging into the car, which squashed his face on the footpath.
He saw the tyres do a burnout while the car was on top of him, and then he was dragged down the street.
He then remembers being in the middle of the street with blood dripping off his face, feeling numb, and watching the car drive off.
He said he was in hospital for five months with a broken pelvis, broken hip, broken right leg, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and grazing on his arms, legs, back, and face, some of which needed skin grafts, and a torn right ear.
Jesse Tafaese, who was at the party as security, said when the car stopped against the gate, it then reversed onto the road. He looked for Mr Kapea and saw that he was under the car's wheel.
He yelled at the people in the car, and then chased the car when it sped away.
He said the jacket Mr Kapea had on was tangled on the wheel.
He said he kicked at the jacket to get him out of it, and Mr Kapea came loose and tumbled down the road.
"I thought he was dead," he said.
