davereid
27th January 2009, 07:46
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4829969a11.html
Dad dies helping woman
By MARTY SHARPE - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 27 January 2009
A father of three was trying to protect a woman being assaulted by a gang member when he was fatally stabbed, says a witness.
Mark McCutcheon, 34, had gone to help when he saw a patched Mongrel Mob member "beating the hell" out of a woman.
A witness to the incident, outside the Sandford Arms at Ongaonga, said he was talking to Mr McCutcheon when they heard a woman screaming.
"Everyone's pretty shocked. He was a very popular guy around here," the man said.
Despite being fatally stabbed, Mr McCutcheon managed to get into his car and drive away, only to die in a paddock after succumbing to his wounds.
He and his wife, Paula, were renovating the Sawyer's Arms pub at Tikokino.
It is the second tragedy to befall the family Mr McCutcheon's brother Stephen was killed when his quad bike was hit by a vehicle near his Ongaonga farm in December 2006.
The witness said three men including a patched Mongrel Mob member arrived at the pub about 10.30pm on Friday. The gang member began arguing with a woman who was at the pub with friends and the pair went outside.
"We saw the patched guy beating the hell out of her, trying to drag her out. We heard a lot of screaming and there he was beating her to a pulp.
"We started yelling at him to stop. I went inside to grab another mate. Mark told the guy he was going to get his gun and started walking to his ute," the man said.
Mr McCutcheon pulled a rifle in its case from the ute and began walking back toward the gang member.
"The patched guy yelled out to one of his boys to go and deal to him. The rifle was still in its case. Mark hit him with it and there was bit of a scuffle. We presume the young guy stabbed him then.
"The young guy gave the gun to the patched member. We got it off him in the end. But in the meantime Mark had just driven off. I don't know why. We didn't know he'd been stabbed," the man said.
Mr McCutcheon was found dead in his car in a paddock on State Highway 50 just after 7am on Saturday. Police believe he ran off the road about 1.5km from the pub.
An autopsy indicated he died from stab wounds.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave de Lange, of Hastings, said police had spoken to people at the pub on Friday night, including those who may have seen the altercation. No arrests had been made.
"At this stage we are trying to ascertain who was involved in the fight and what happened," Mr de Lange said. "There were mainly local people at the pub and we are keen to build up a picture of what actually took place leading up to and during the fight."
Yesterday police finished a scene examination where Mr McCutcheon's ute was found in the paddock and carried out forensic investigations at the pub. No weapons have been found.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another brave guy dies trying to help others.
In a lot of countries bystanders just let 'em go for it.
Perhaps not the wisest thing to declare your intentions
to arm yourself.
RIP Mr. McCutcheon and condolances to your family.
Dad dies helping woman
By MARTY SHARPE - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 27 January 2009
A father of three was trying to protect a woman being assaulted by a gang member when he was fatally stabbed, says a witness.
Mark McCutcheon, 34, had gone to help when he saw a patched Mongrel Mob member "beating the hell" out of a woman.
A witness to the incident, outside the Sandford Arms at Ongaonga, said he was talking to Mr McCutcheon when they heard a woman screaming.
"Everyone's pretty shocked. He was a very popular guy around here," the man said.
Despite being fatally stabbed, Mr McCutcheon managed to get into his car and drive away, only to die in a paddock after succumbing to his wounds.
He and his wife, Paula, were renovating the Sawyer's Arms pub at Tikokino.
It is the second tragedy to befall the family Mr McCutcheon's brother Stephen was killed when his quad bike was hit by a vehicle near his Ongaonga farm in December 2006.
The witness said three men including a patched Mongrel Mob member arrived at the pub about 10.30pm on Friday. The gang member began arguing with a woman who was at the pub with friends and the pair went outside.
"We saw the patched guy beating the hell out of her, trying to drag her out. We heard a lot of screaming and there he was beating her to a pulp.
"We started yelling at him to stop. I went inside to grab another mate. Mark told the guy he was going to get his gun and started walking to his ute," the man said.
Mr McCutcheon pulled a rifle in its case from the ute and began walking back toward the gang member.
"The patched guy yelled out to one of his boys to go and deal to him. The rifle was still in its case. Mark hit him with it and there was bit of a scuffle. We presume the young guy stabbed him then.
"The young guy gave the gun to the patched member. We got it off him in the end. But in the meantime Mark had just driven off. I don't know why. We didn't know he'd been stabbed," the man said.
Mr McCutcheon was found dead in his car in a paddock on State Highway 50 just after 7am on Saturday. Police believe he ran off the road about 1.5km from the pub.
An autopsy indicated he died from stab wounds.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave de Lange, of Hastings, said police had spoken to people at the pub on Friday night, including those who may have seen the altercation. No arrests had been made.
"At this stage we are trying to ascertain who was involved in the fight and what happened," Mr de Lange said. "There were mainly local people at the pub and we are keen to build up a picture of what actually took place leading up to and during the fight."
Yesterday police finished a scene examination where Mr McCutcheon's ute was found in the paddock and carried out forensic investigations at the pub. No weapons have been found.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another brave guy dies trying to help others.
In a lot of countries bystanders just let 'em go for it.
Perhaps not the wisest thing to declare your intentions
to arm yourself.
RIP Mr. McCutcheon and condolances to your family.