Kiwi teen charged over brutal one-punch attack in Surfers Paradise. Video / 9NEWS
A Gold Coast man is fighting for his life after he was allegedly punched in the face, causing him to stumble and smash his head onto the concrete ground.
Amerika Uili, 19, was refused bail at Southport Magistrates Court earlier today, charged with grievously bodily harm and common assault.
The teenager, who moved to Australia from New Zealand after finishing high school, is accused of punching a 34-year-old Southport man in the head in an unprovoked late night attack.
Police allege Uili was partying with friends in Surfers Paradise last night and walking down the party precinct's main street Orchid Avenue when he started to fight with the alleged first victim just after 1am, news.com.au reported.
Detective Inspector Brendan Smith said it was "only luck" that the first man, who was allegedly thrown to the ground by Uili minutes before his second fight, is not also in hospital.
A woman walking past with her boyfriend at the time chastised Uili for his "totally unacceptable behaviour", Mr Smith said.
As the couple began to walk away from the fight, Uili followed them and, in what police called an "unprovoked assault", allegedly punched the boyfriend in the side of the head.
Police were called to Surfers Paradise early this morning. Photo / Supplied
The 34-year stumbled and smashed his head onto the concrete at Orchid Avenue, a fall that left him with serious head injuries.
Without help from police and paramedics the man may have died where he fell, Queensland Ambulance Service's Jayney Shearman said.
Police allege Uili left the scene for a few minutes but then returned to where bystanders and nightclub security guards were administering first aid.
He was arrested a short time later by first responding police.
"On the vision he's walked away quite calmly then he's come back and that's when local police have grabbed him," Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith said the 34-year-old was still in surgery at Gold Coast University Hospital which "didn't bade well but we're hopeful and wishing him a speedy recovery".
Despite the tragic turn of events, Mr Smith praised the Gold Coast woman's courage for calling out Uili after his first alleged fight.
Uili allegedly left the scene "calmly". Photo / Facebook
"It shows the courage of the woman involved. She's called out totally unacceptable behaviour and unfortunately, in this particular case it's led to the assault of her boyfriend," Mr Smith said.
The 34-year-old remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Mr Smith said Uili had declined to participate in a police interview after his arrest and the friends the teenager was with had given their accounts of what happened just after 1am.
Uili, who lives in Victoria after moving over from Auckland, New Zealand, was remanded in custody.
