Gillingham road-rage driver Stuart Smith left man on bonnet after row in Railway Street, Chatham

Published: 00:01, 20 March 2015

A motorist who drove with another man on his car bonnet after a road rage incident has been jailed for six months.

Stuart Smith reacted when security guard Vytanas Skistynas stood in front of his Vauxhall Corsa to take a photograph of his number plate after the men confronted each other over their driving in Railway Street, Chatham.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Smith, 36, began to drive off but the vehicle pushed against Mr Skistynas until he lost his balance and ended up on the bonnet.

CCTV picture from the incident released by police

Smith then travelled slowly for hundreds of metres before Mr Skistynas fell into the road.

The incident on April 20 last year was captured on CCTV and shown during the forklift driver’s sentencing on Monday.

Mr Skistynas later told police he could feel his feet dragging as the car drove away and feared he might die.

Describing Smith’s face through the windscreen, he added: “He looked very angry and he looked like he wanted to kill me.”

"He looked very angry and he looked like he wanted to kill me” - victim Vytanas Skistynas

Smith, of Priestfield Road, Gillingham, admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

He was jailed for six months and banned from driving for two years.

Recorder Matthew McDonagh said although Smith tried to avoid hitting Mr Skistynas and drove at a low speed, it was a “bad case” of dangerous driving and a suspended sentence could not be justified.

The court heard Mr Skistynas was driving home from a night shift at about 6.20am when the Corsa pulled out from a Texaco garage and then drove very slowly in front of him.

Mr Skistynas overtook the car when he thought it was safe, only for the Corsa to drive up close behind his car and then overtake on a pedestrian crossing.

Prosecutor Tom Dunn said Smith slammed on his brakes, causing Mr Skistynas to do the same.

A confrontation between the pair then followed when both cars pulled up at traffic lights.

Mr Skistynas got out of his car first and went up to Smith. “He asked if he was OK or had a problem but it was plain to see the driver (Smith) was angry,” said Mr Dunn.