Kiwi Spears Thief in the Back of the Head From a Moving Car

Tuco · 04-13-2008, 05:24 AM

Man embedded flounder spear in thief's skull, court told - 08 Apr 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news

Man embedded flounder spear in thief's skull, court told
1:03PM Tuesday April 08, 2008
By Saskia Konyneburg
Daniel Hill in hospital the week after he was injured. Photo / Jeff Brass

Daniel Hill in hospital the week after he was injured. Photo / Jeff Brass

A man embedded a flounder spear in the skull of a thief who had made "an unfortunate decision" to break into the car he had been travelling in, a court heard yesterday.

Sam Oliver Spence, 21, from Hikurangi appeared in the High Court at Whangarei charged with wounding Daniel Hill with reckless disregard on January 21 last year.

The prosecution alleges Mr Spence threw the metre-long spear at Mr Hill after recognising the car he was in.

Mr Hill had earlier broken into the Mitsubishi car Mr Spence had travelled in to Whale Bay, north-east of Whangarei, and stolen CDs, a mobile phone and a wallet. He was convicted of theft in June last year.

Defence lawyer Arthur Fairley said Mr Spence admitted throwing the spear at Mr Hill but denied doing it with reckless disregard for the safety of others.

Mr Hill, 30, required emergency surgery for a skull fracture and more than a month of rehabilitation at the brain injury unit of Waikato Hospital after being hit.

Giving evidence yesterday, he said he had been unaware the spear was embedded in his head.

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"I didn't even really feel it. Justin just said 'you've got an arrow sticking out of your head bro'," he said.

Crown Prosecutor Anna Patterson asked the jury to put aside any disgust towards Mr Hill or sympathy for Mr Spence over the theft.

"I do not condone Daniel Hill's actions - but neither can we condone the actions of the accused, who took the law into his own hands," she said.

The court heard that Mr Hill had decided to break into the Mitsubishi car after driving to Whale Bay with his friend Justin Monk and a 5-year-old boy for a swim.

Ms Patterson said it was a "very unfortunate decision - not only because it was illegal, but also because of the physical consequences".

Ms Patterson said a member of the public watched the incident and left a note on the windscreen of the Mitsubishi car, giving the registration number and description of the offenders' car.

Later on, the two cars passed each other south of Matapouri and the driver of the Mitsubishi tried to block the car carrying Mr Hill from passing.

It was during this confrontation - as the car swerved to avoid capture - that the flounder spear was thrown, Ms Patterson said.

The metre-long spear travelled through the open window on the passenger's side of the car and embedded itself in Mr Hill's head.

Mr Hill told the court the car engine later blew and Mr Monk - who was wanted by police for breach of bail - fled the scene with the little boy.

Mr Fairley quizzed Mr Hill about a police statement he made eight days after the incident and an interview given to a Sunday newspaper, in which he said he had broken into the car to get money for P (methamphetamine).

Mr Hill denied the theft was for P money but admitted he couldn't remember everything because it had been a year and he had suffered a "traumatic brain injury".

The trial was due to continue today and is expected to last a week.

Daerath · 04-13-2008, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuco

Justin just said 'you've got an arrow sticking out of your head bro'

Priceless.

FulorianC · 04-13-2008, 06:31 AM

Don't spear me, bro!

Drave · 04-13-2008, 07:31 AM

Register that flounder spear! lol wtf

Zarcath · 04-13-2008, 07:41 AM

Hmm...I could see how this would be bad for the spear thrower since the thief was in his own car and it was in public too? If the thief had been in the act of breaking into the car and the guy speared him, inside the car while he was doing it, that would be self-defense right?

All the spear guy had to go one the theft was a note and a license plate. What if the guy he speared wasn't the thief at all? Especially since there was another adult male in the car, and there was a kid too. I could see reckless endangerment.

Not that this isn't totally bad ass and he should get a medal for spearing a guy in the head from a moving car.

Vehn · 04-13-2008, 09:11 AM

... and spear chuckers

Lejina Bloodbath · 04-13-2008, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarcath

totally bad ass and he should get a medal for spearing a guy in the head from a moving car.

Yes.

The Ancient · 04-13-2008, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarcath

All the spear guy had to go one the theft was a note and a license plate. What if the guy he speared wasn't the thief at all? Especially since there was another adult male in the car, and there was a kid too. I could see reckless endangerment.

You read it wrong. The spear-chucker recognized his own car. The note with the license plate was for the car the spear chucker was driving.

Regime · 04-13-2008, 12:23 PM

NZ needs to get this guy on their Javelin squad and send him to Beijing this summer

Astrocreep · 04-13-2008, 12:39 PM

thats pretty cool

Zarcath · 04-14-2008, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ancient

You read it wrong. The spear-chucker recognized his own car. The note with the license plate was for the car the spear chucker was driving.

Hmm so the guy broke into, and stole the car, then had his pal and the kid riding around in it?

Kaosu · 04-14-2008, 01:31 AM

No remorse for the guy that got a spear through the head.

Sorry.

Awanka · 04-14-2008, 03:28 AM

And yet he lived? Should have put more points into impale.

Azrayne · 04-14-2008, 05:40 AM

Kind of hard to feel any sympathy for the dude. Should have thought twice before stealing someone's car.

The Ancient · 04-14-2008, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarcath

Hmm so the guy broke into, and stole the car, then had his pal and the kid riding around in it?

Yes...it's written right there.

Quote:

The court heard that Mr Hill had decided to break into the Mitsubishi car after driving to Whale Bay with his friend Justin Monk and a 5-year-old boy for a swim.

04-13-2008, 05:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
Tuco Forum Janitor Join Date: May 2002 Location: Detroit Posts: 8,283 +17 Internets	Kiwi Spears Thief in the Back of the Head From a Moving Car Man embedded flounder spear in thief's skull, court told - 08 Apr 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news Man embedded flounder spear in thief's skull, court told 1:03PM Tuesday April 08, 2008 By Saskia Konyneburg Daniel Hill in hospital the week after he was injured. Photo / Jeff Brass Daniel Hill in hospital the week after he was injured. Photo / Jeff Brass A man embedded a flounder spear in the skull of a thief who had made "an unfortunate decision" to break into the car he had been travelling in, a court heard yesterday. Sam Oliver Spence, 21, from Hikurangi appeared in the High Court at Whangarei charged with wounding Daniel Hill with reckless disregard on January 21 last year. The prosecution alleges Mr Spence threw the metre-long spear at Mr Hill after recognising the car he was in. Mr Hill had earlier broken into the Mitsubishi car Mr Spence had travelled in to Whale Bay, north-east of Whangarei, and stolen CDs, a mobile phone and a wallet. He was convicted of theft in June last year. Defence lawyer Arthur Fairley said Mr Spence admitted throwing the spear at Mr Hill but denied doing it with reckless disregard for the safety of others. Mr Hill, 30, required emergency surgery for a skull fracture and more than a month of rehabilitation at the brain injury unit of Waikato Hospital after being hit. Giving evidence yesterday, he said he had been unaware the spear was embedded in his head. Advertisement Advertisement "I didn't even really feel it. Justin just said 'you've got an arrow sticking out of your head bro'," he said. Crown Prosecutor Anna Patterson asked the jury to put aside any disgust towards Mr Hill or sympathy for Mr Spence over the theft. "I do not condone Daniel Hill's actions - but neither can we condone the actions of the accused, who took the law into his own hands," she said. The court heard that Mr Hill had decided to break into the Mitsubishi car after driving to Whale Bay with his friend Justin Monk and a 5-year-old boy for a swim. Ms Patterson said it was a "very unfortunate decision - not only because it was illegal, but also because of the physical consequences". Ms Patterson said a member of the public watched the incident and left a note on the windscreen of the Mitsubishi car, giving the registration number and description of the offenders' car. Later on, the two cars passed each other south of Matapouri and the driver of the Mitsubishi tried to block the car carrying Mr Hill from passing. It was during this confrontation - as the car swerved to avoid capture - that the flounder spear was thrown, Ms Patterson said. The metre-long spear travelled through the open window on the passenger's side of the car and embedded itself in Mr Hill's head. Mr Hill told the court the car engine later blew and Mr Monk - who was wanted by police for breach of bail - fled the scene with the little boy. Mr Fairley quizzed Mr Hill about a police statement he made eight days after the incident and an interview given to a Sunday newspaper, in which he said he had broken into the car to get money for P (methamphetamine). Mr Hill denied the theft was for P money but admitted he couldn't remember everything because it had been a year and he had suffered a "traumatic brain injury". The trial was due to continue today and is expected to last a week. __________________

04-13-2008, 06:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
FulorianC EQ1 Apologist Join Date: May 2003 Location: Denton, Texas Posts: 1,451	Don't spear me, bro! __________________

04-13-2008, 07:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
Zarcath Read Farmer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hawaii Posts: 5,220 +19 Internets	Hmm...I could see how this would be bad for the spear thrower since the thief was in his own car and it was in public too? If the thief had been in the act of breaking into the car and the guy speared him, inside the car while he was doing it, that would be self-defense right? All the spear guy had to go one the theft was a note and a license plate. What if the guy he speared wasn't the thief at all? Especially since there was another adult male in the car, and there was a kid too. I could see reckless endangerment. Not that this isn't totally bad ass and he should get a medal for spearing a guy in the head from a moving car. __________________

04-14-2008, 01:31 AM	#12 (permalink)
Kaosu Lost in the Twilight Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Gilbert/Chandler, Arizona Posts: 1,022 -4 Internets	No remorse for the guy that got a spear through the head. Sorry. __________________ Like a frenzied horse that is driven. An unseen wind of plague shrieks across the border. Pandemonium, wailing, and stench of carnage fills the air. There is no place to run. No hope of escape. Those who are mourned will never return. The hands of time cannot be turned back.

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04-13-2008, 07:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
Drave Sly. Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 598 +4 Internets	Register that flounder spear! lol wtf

04-13-2008, 09:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
Vehn Hurm... Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,496 +1 Internets	... and spear chuckers

04-13-2008, 12:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
Astrocreep The Undead Shaman Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 3,162	thats pretty cool

04-14-2008, 05:40 AM	#14 (permalink)
Azrayne Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 834 +5 Internets	Kind of hard to feel any sympathy for the dude. Should have thought twice before stealing someone's car.