Battery hurled at motorist

A MOTORIST had a lucky escape when a maniac threw a car battery through his windscreen.

Geoff Steatham, 55, narrowly avoided serious injury when the battery smashed his windscreen on the driver's side as he travelled along the A265 at Burwash.

Mr Steatham, of Bexley, Kent, was in a blue X-reg Ford Escort and had just left the village, heading towards Heathfield. The battery was thrown from a white car or van travelling east.

It went straight through the windscreen, narrowly missing Mr Steatham, the car's sole occupant.

Mr Steatham said: 'After shattering the window, shards broke off the battery and went into my right hand and battery acid sprayed all over the car and me.'

He added: 'I saw the passenger of a white van lob a light coloured thing. I thought it was a drinks can at first.

'Then the battery came through my window and, because there was nothing in front of me. I stopped and a driver behind me stopped to check I was all right.'

'It was purely malicious. The man deliberately threw the battery. He clearly meant to cause harm.'

Sgt Graeme McKee, of Hailsham Police, said: 'This man had a very lucky escape. Had the object hit him it could have resulted in serious injury or death.

He added: 'It was fortunate that the driver managed to bring the car safely to a halt and that a further accident did not result on this fast and busy stretch of road.'

Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area on March 20 at 11.15am and may have information about what happened.

You can call 0845 6070999.