A Canterbury businessman charged with a road rage attack in which a father of two was allegedly bashed and his family's puppy killed has today been remanded to psychiatric hospital custody where experts will assess his mental health.
The 51-year-old man is accused of attacking a family of four while they were walking their 10-month-old puppy near Eyre River, 20 minutes north of Christchurch, about 5.45pm on Monday.
Police say the driver was signalled to slow down as he exited the Eyre River - popular with off-road enthusiasts - crossing on to Downs Rd.
A father of two suffered head, shoulder and ankle injuries in the alleged road rage incident which claimed the life of the puppy.
The driver appeared from custody at Christchurch District Court this morning charged with injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and wilful ill treatment of an animal.
He was remanded in custody without plea until April 9 at Hillmorton Hospital after a report was requested under the Criminal Procedures (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act.
Judge Raoul Neave also granted him interim name suppression, which the judge indicated would need to be argued in more depth at the next hearing.
The driver is alleged to have taken offence at being signalled by the man walking with his family and is accused of trying to knock him over.
To avoid being run down, the man "took evasive action", which included leaping a barbed wire fence -- however, police say he appeared to have been hit at least once.
Police claim the family's puppy was hit as the vehicle fled the scene.
The dog had to be put down yesterday because of the severity of its injuries, Detective Sergeant Rex Barnett said.
The man was treated at Christchurch Hospital for cuts to his hands, cuts and bruises on his head and injuries to his shoulder and ankle.
He has since been released and is recovering at home. No other members of his family were hurt.
"This was an extremely serious incident and it is lucky that the man was not more seriously injured and that his family escaped injury," Mr Barnett said.
"It is particularly upsetting for the family's two children to have witnessed the incident and ultimately lost their new family pet."
- by Kurt Bayer
