An Australian man who showed "no mercy" and punched a woman in the head and face is on the run after a "vicious" attack that's described as one of the worst road rage incidents.
A 25-year-old Melbourne woman has detailed the violent attack she received on Wednesday night. It started after she honked her horn at a black Volkswagen Golf that she said had overtaken her Honda Civic at speed on Oravel St, Balwyn North.
The driver then responded by braking abruptly several times in front of her.
The woman, who was on already crutches with a broken leg, pulled over in Arama St where the Volkswagen had also stopped.
Police told 7News the driver walked up and started verbally abusing the woman while she sat in the car.
The young woman waited until the man had returned to his car before she got out of her vehicle.
But the offender wasn't done as he returned and punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground.
"He punched me hard enough in the face that I fell down and hit the back of my head," the woman told 7News.
Police said the man then repeatedly punched her in the head and face and was "taunting" her as she attempted to crawl away.
The woman said she pleaded for the man to stop but "he showed no mercy" as the 25-year-old feared for her life.
"I begged and begged and begged for him to stop," she said.
"He hit my face over and over and over again and the whole time he was telling me this is what you deserve.
"I thought he was going to kill me. That's all that was going through my head was that I thought I was going to die and that he was going to kill me."
The offender wasn't done there, telling the woman he would be back to "finish the job" before he fled the scene.
The woman's mother and witnesses quickly rushed to the scene to help the 25-year-old, who was taken to a local hospital with serious facial injuries including a broken nose, according to 7News.
Acting Sergeant Gary Tivendale said it was one of the worst road rage attacks he had heard of.
"This is a particularly vicious attack," he said.
Police have started a manhunt for the offender who is described as being southern European in appearance, has short black hair, is aged in his early 20s and is about 175cm tall.
The young woman has urged those who might have information about the identity of the offender to have some compassion.
"If his parents saw him come in the house with blood on his hands, I hope that they can show compassion and turn him in," she said.
