A Dunedin man who allegedly ran from his home to attack another man with a running chainsaw was last night taken into custody by armed police.
The incident began at a Peter St home in the Dunedin suburb of Caversham about 1.30pm yesterday, Senior Sergeant Steve Aitken said.
It appeared the two men involved - both aged 33 - were known to each other and had been caught up in an ongoing dispute, Snr Sgt Aitken said.
The victim was sitting on the lawn of the property when it is alleged the offender ran from the house with a chainsaw and slashed twice at the victim's head and back, Snr Sgt Aitken said.
The chainsaw engine was running, but the chain was locked stationary, he said.
"The teeth of the chainsaw have caught in his shirt and ripped it and given him some cuts about six or seven centimetres long in his back," Snr Sgt Aitken said.
The victim drove himself to Dunedin Hospital and was treated for minor injuries, before reporting the incident to Dunedin police.
Members of the armed offenders squad were alerted and surrounded the home at 6.30pm yesterday, Snr Sgt Aitken said.
The suspect gave himself up without a struggle and the chainsaw was recovered.
While the chainsaw's chain had not been running, the victim "must have been pretty severely concerned for his safety", Snr Sgt Aitken said.
"You wouldn't necessarily be aware of that when someone is running up behind you.
"Had the chain [been running] . . . there's a pretty fair chance the guy would've been in two bits," he said.
• A 33-year-old Dunedin man will appear in the Dunedin District Court today, facing a charge of assault with a weapon.
