Prison for hitting good Samaritan with car

Tyrone Ryan Woodcock, 31, was sentenced in the Wellington District Court this afternoon. Photo / Melissa Nightingale

A man who hit a good Samaritan with his car when the victim was trying to intervene in what he thought was a family violence incident has been sent to prison.

Tyrone Ryan Woodcock, 31, appeared in the Wellington District Court this afternoon for sentencing on the incident, which happened in January.

Woodcock had been arguing with his partner in Lower Hutt when the victim drove past and mistakenly thought Woodcock was hitting the woman.

"The victim, who was unknown to you, was driving down a road in Kelson when he witnessed the incident between you and your partner," Judge Peter Butler's sentencing indication notes said.

"He stopped behind your partner's vehicle with intent to assist her. You returned to your vehicle and he followed after you. He stood in front of your vehicle in an attempt to prevent you from leaving the scene. He yelled at you about what he believed he had witnessed."

The victim thought he had seen Woodcock striking or punching the woman in the vehicle, but this was incorrect.

The victim was standing on the road when Woodcock revved his car and accelerated away, hitting the man and knocking him about 10m up the road, before driving away without checking if the victim was okay.

Woodcock's partner called an ambulance for the seriously injured victim, who was taken to hospital.

He suffered a fractured eye socket and cheekbones, a wound to his forehead, loss of feeling to his upper jaw, and bruising and grazing around his body. He may have also suffered skull fractures.

Woodcock pleaded guilty last month to wounding with reckless disregard and failing to stop to ascertain injury.

He maintains he did not intend to hit the victim with his car, which the judge accepted.

In his sentencing indication notes, Judge Butler said Woodcock had a "lengthy history" of criminal convictions, including three convictions for violence-related offending.

He today sentenced Woodcock to 27 months in prison, and gave him a first strike warning under the three strikes law.