By SCOTT INGLIS
A young father whose van had run out of petrol thought a group of youths walking up to him were Good Samaritans.
Instead, one stabbed him three times for no reason.
The terrifying attack on Wednesday night, put Daniel, a 31-year-old South Auckland father of a two-month-old daughter, in Middlemore Hospital with serious wounds.
Daniel, a courier-run owner who asked not to be identified, told the Herald how a five-minute trip to the service station turned into a nightmare.
One of his drivers had left a note and fuel card in his courier van outside Daniel's Manurewa home, saying the van needed petrol.
Just before 9.30 pm, Daniel took off for a nearby service station but ran out of petrol in John Walker Drive. The van was stranded in the middle of the road.
"I tried to start the van but I couldn't. I saw five to six teenagers on the footpath on the left-hand side of my van, and two of them came towards me," he said.
"I thought, seeing as though I was stuck, they were coming to help me."
But things turned nasty when one of the youths tried to open Daniel's passenger door, which was locked, then started banging on the door and window. Another crept up on Daniel as he sat in his van.
"I started thinking I was in trouble ... I could only make out one word and that was 'money'. The youth by his driver's window produced a knife and raised his arm.
Daniel instinctively brought his right arm up to protect his face and head. The youth lashed out at him, stabbing him in his ribs, arm and back.
"They were acting like animals. They were inhuman. My clothes were soaked in blood."
The youths disappeared and Daniel frantically tried to start his van. Another motorist came to his aid and police and an ambulance were called.
Daniel has to spend at least two days in hospital. Doctors told him he was lucky not have suffered a life-threatening injury.
A 16-year-old youth has been arrested and charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Police inquiries are continuing.
Driver knifed by 'Good Samaritans'
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