An Arrowtown lineman has admitted assaulting a traffic controller in what a judge described as "road rage of the most extreme kind''.
Prosecuting Sergeant Ian Collin told Judge Dominic Flatley in Queenstown District Court yesterday that Simon Spark, 40, was travelling through Arrowtown at 12.20pm on August 31 when he came across Christopher Seabrook, wearing a high visibility vest, performing "traffic control''.
Mr Seabrook indicated Spark to stop his vehicle, at which point "words were exchanged'' over what Spark felt was a lack of appropriate traffic management.
Spark then began to drive forward, so Mr Seabrook "banged on the back window [of his vehicle] to get him to stop''.
"The defendant got out of his vehicle, punched [the victim] several times to the head.''
A struggle ensued and both men ended up on the ground, with the defendant kneeling on the victim and continuing the assault.
Spark grabbed Mr Seabrook's sweatshirt which was pulled off the victim as he pulled away before Spark punched Mr Seabrook again, Mr Collin said.
Both men were injured in the tussle.
Spark told police he was "irate at the lack of road signage and because the victim hit his vehicle,'' Mr Collin said.
Defence counsel Nic Soper said Spark had his own waste management business which operated seven vehicles and traffic control was "very important'' to him.
"When he approached ... there was a man standing on the side of the road wearing a high-vis vest.
"There was no traffic signage ... no stop-go signs.''
Judge Flatley said there were no excuses for his behaviour.
"This is a case which I suppose comes under the category of road rage of the most extreme kind.
"There is absolutely no explanation or excuse for you to behave towards this individual as you did.
"This is not normal behaviour''.
Spark was fined $2000.
