A man accused of carrying out a rampage in Auckland's Epsom last week – injuring three high school cyclists, assaulting a jogger and killing a dog – has made his first court appearance.
The 49-year-old faces 17 charges, including wounding and injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault with a weapon and dangerous driving.
He appeared in the Auckland District Court on Monday via audio-visual link after his initial appearance last week was postponed while he was in hospital under police guard.
His lawyer, Jane-Frances O'Halloran, asked for the matter to be remanded without plea.
She said she had not yet met with her client and he was due to undergo a forensic assessment while in custody.
O'Halloran asked for interim name suppression to continue, which was granted by Judge Simon Lance.
The man was remanded in custody and will next appear in September.
Alleged rampage across Epsom
Epsom MP and former Auckland Grammer old boy David Seymour said "nobody wants something like this to happen in their community". (Source: Breakfast)
The man was taken into custody last Wednesday following what police described as a "violent series of events" in Epsom shortly after 7am.
A female jogger was assaulted on Manukau Rd before a car was stolen from a woman who had stopped to help.
Speaking to 1News, the good Samaritan described a man's behaviour as "completely nonsensical and erratic".
Police alleged he drove off and struck a group of Auckland Grammar School cyclists on a training ride, leaving three boys injured. One remained in a critical condition in hospital days later.
A woman was assaulted, three teenage cyclists injured and a dog killed in a morning rampage. (Source: 1News)
After the stolen car crashed at Tasman Fuels, witnesses said a man ran across the road and began attacking a dog, which later died.
Police described the incident as "extremely violent and totally unnecessary" and said officers arrived within eight minutes of receiving the first emergency call.
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