Man narrowly escaped death in hotel car park

A driver appears to try to run down a man in a hotel car park in the Northern Territory, according to shocking footage.

The ute was seen speeding down McMillans Road in Darwin towards three men in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to a video posted online.

The vehicle screeches to a halt as it approaches the group, then turns around and flees as the men pelt rocks at the bonnet.

However, the driver reappears moments later, swerving into the front area of the Quality Hotel and colliding with one of the pedestrians as the men scramble to avoid being hit.

As police cars arrive on the scene, the automobile does not stop, turning back onto the road and speeding away.

Fortunately, the man who was struck was not seriously hurt.

According to NT Police, the collision was one of a series of occurrences between two feuding families that are currently being investigated.

‘The two family groups were involved in a violent conflict in which sticks and an axe were used, causing superficial injuries to a number of people,’ they claimed.

‘After that, one family group is accused of driving a stolen vehicle at the other, striking one person, who then fled the scene.’

‘Members of Darwin Traffic Operations arrived minutes afterwards and pursued the vehicle, which slammed into a fence.’ The car’s occupants fled the scene.’

The traffic unit’s involvement, according to Detective Senior Sergeant Brett Cottier, saved additional harm to other road users.
‘The stolen vehicle was driving so erratically that it was only thanks to the traffic unit’s quick intervention that no one was seriously injured or killed,’ Det SSGT Cottier said.

The investigation has been aided by detectives from the Crime Command, as well as members of Darwin Traffic Operations, General Duties, and the Crime Scene Examination Unit.

The incident on Saturday, according to Detective Senior Sergeant Cottier, ‘appears to have rolled from one location to the next.’

‘Police have identified two more people with injuries sustained in previous altercations, as well as a path of destruction left by the stolen vehicle, which damaged a hotel, a business’s front, and a number of objects in the front carpark,’ he said.

Police have identified a number of persons of interest, and their investigations are ongoing.

Anyone who observed the event or has information that could help investigators is urged to call police at 131 222 or report it anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000, quoting PROMIS 10036477.