The Daily Telegraph, 3 December 1996

Motorist killed in road rage stabbing

A car driver died in his girlfriend's arms with a slashed throat after he was stabbed 15 times by a passenger in a car that had chased them along country lanes for three miles.

The attack, described by police yesterday as “particularly vicious” road rage, followed an argument and an exchange of gestures between the two drivers. The murdered man, Lee Harvey, 25, an unemployed bus driver, of Alvechurch, Worcs, was returning home with his girlfriend, Tracie Andrews, 27, after a night out with friends at the Marlbrook public house in Bromsgrove.

Miss Andrews, who has a daughter, Carla, five, was punched in the face as she tried to save Mr Harvey. She told police that their G-registered Escort turbo overtook a “tatty” Ford Sierra carrying two or three men on the A38 near the village of Burcott shortly before 11pm on Sunday. She did not see exactly what happened because she was reaching down to retrieve an audio tape.

They then became aware of a car flashing its headlights behind them, said Det Supt Steve Walters, the senior investigating officer. They became worried when the car closed up and started “tail-gating” them. At one stage the cars drew level and the drivers gestured at each other.

The cars were last seen passing The Forest public house near the junction of the A38 and M42 before heading out into the maze of lanes linking the villages of north Worcestershire. When Mr Harvey turned into Coopers Hill lane, near Alvechurch, apparently to try to shake off his pursuers, the Sierra followed, still flashing its lights. It managed to overtake Mr Harvey's car and both stopped. The drivers got out and started arguing.

The Sierra driver, described as a teenager of below medium height, returned to his car, but his passenger, a tall, heavily-built man in his mid-20s, got out holding a knife. He launched an “extremely violent” attack on Mr Harvey, continuing to stab him after he had fallen to the ground. The Sierra then raced off.

A couple who had been visiting friends at a remote, detached house nearby alerted the emergency services, but Mr Harvey died before they could reach him.

Miss Andrews and Mr Harvey had lived in Alvechurch for about 18 months and became engaged a year ago. Miss Andrews's daughter lived with them. Mr Harvey has a daughter by a previous relationship, but she lives with her mother.

A neighbour, Phil Houghton, said: “They were a very nice couple and were looking forward to a happy future. Lee was a very respectable young man.”

Police have asked for witnesses of the chase and for help in tracing the dark-coloured Sierra. They are also urging the driver and any other passengers to contact them, emphasising that they believe only one man did the stabbing. Supt Walters said the attacker's clothing, which included a heavy donkey jacket, was likely to be badly bloodstained.

Last month a survey found that one motorist in 50 had been physically attacked, half had been “tail-gated” and two people in five had been sworn at in road incidents.

In May, 21-year-old Stephen Cameron was stabbed to death on an M25 slip road after an argument with the driver of a Land Rover Discovery.

The same month a passenger was shot dead in a London street after the car he was travelling drove off without stopping following a minor accident.

In August, Philip O'Mahoney bit off another driver's nose during an attack in Wales. He also assaulted a woman who tried to help, breaking her hip. He was jailed for five years.


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