A former beauty queen looking after her brother's Maserati discovered it looking like an old crate after it was moved and flipped on its roof by a forklift-driving construction worker in Sydney's exclusive Bilyard Avenue in Elizabeth Bay this morning.
Rachel Huljich, a former Kiwi beauty queen who once defied a request from New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, moved her brother Jason Huljich's $110,000 car to a construction zone in the road two days ago.
When a forklift driver tried to move the Maserati this morning things went horribly wrong when the car fell over the forks two metres off the ground.
Ms Huljich, who has just moved to the area, was put in charge of the 1999 3200 GT Maserati while her brother holidays in South America.
Police have released the construction worker after interviewing him today but have not ruled out charging him, pending further investigations.
Ms Huljich is a former Miss World New Zealand contestant who divided her country when she decided to compete at the 2002 Miss World contest which was supposed to be held in Nigeria, against the wishes of Ms Clark.
The controversy erupted after a Nigerian woman, Amina Lawal, was sentenced to a stoning death for having a child out of wedlock.
Many countries including New Zealand called for a boycott of the contest in light of the death sentence but Ms Huljich, who was 17 at the time, remained defiant.
Ms Clark said at the time it would not be a "good look'' for New Zealand to participate, but the pretty brunette paid little attention.
Her stance divided Kiwis, with many calling for Ms Huljich to bow to the Prime Minister's wishes.
However, following an extremely troubled lead-up, the contest was moved to London and the issue blew over.
Ms Huljich did not make the last round of the competition. Australia's representative Nicole Rita-Gazal was a semi-finalist.
This morning's Maserati drama unfolded after a building worker from SMS Construction hoisted the car into the air with the forklift.
Brad Harrison, a plumber who was working at a building when he came out to get some tools, described what happened.
"He picked up the car with his forklift, and then he turned while it was on, and suddenly the car rolled over and fell on its roof.
"It was a large crunch, the car was rocking [while it was on the forklift] the whole time."
A crowd of up to 50 gathered to inspect the damage, which included a smashed roof and windows.
It is unclear if the car can be salvaged.
"It is very surprising," a stunned Ms Huljich said, adding that her brother was away for another two weeks.
"I haven't decided whether I'll tell him now or when he comes back."
Resident Stephen Gray said workers for SMS Construction had been moving cars in the street with forklifts for some time while they work on a four-storey building.
"They've been doing it for months now," he said. "It's outrageous and just really arrogant."
Inspector Peter Brooks said: "Only council and the police have the right to move cars from a street,'' he said. "We're still contemplating whether or not charges will be laid."
Another resident of Bilyard Avenue, Romain Bonjean, said his BMW was damaged after it was moved by builders from a different construction company about 18 months ago.
"When I confronted the builders, they admitted pushing it so they could fit a crane. I was parked legally.
"The pushing consisted of having three builders repeatedly bouncing the front bonnet. This resulted in my handbrake cable having to be replaced." |
