Victim of road rage stabbed to death

Police were yesterday hunting a road-rage killer who inflicted at least 15 stab wounds on a 25-year-old motorist, cutting his throat and leaving him to die in a quiet country lane in Worcestershire.

Lee Harvey, from Alvechurch, Worcestershire, died in front of his girlfriend, Tracey Andrews, 28. The attack happened when the couple were driving down a lane in the Alvechurch area late on Sunday night when they were followed by a car flashing its headlights. Mr Harvey stopped his car to find out why the other vehicle had been following so closely and had a short argument with the driver before a passenger in the car got out and stabbed him.

The murder is the second road-rage stabbing this year. Stephen Cameron, 21, died in May during an argument with a motorist on a slip road off the M25 at Swanley, Kent.

Ms Andrews, who is also from Alvechurch, suffered minor head injuries in the attack.

Detective Superintendent Ian Johnston, leading the hunt for the killer, said the couple were travelling home in Mr Harvey's white Ford Escort, when he overtook another vehicle. It appeared that the other car, believed to be an F-reg dark-coloured Ford Sierra, overtook Mr Harvey's car on the single-track lane and both vehicles ground to a halt. Det Supt Johnston said: "An altercation took place between the two drivers.

"The driver of the other vehicle returned to his car and as he did so a passenger got out and approached Mr Harvey. Mr Harvey was on his way back to his car but didn't get there."

"I would like to appeal to the driver of the vehicle, that if he had nothing at all to do with this assault ... for him to come forward and put the record straight." Police said the passenger was a white male, aged 25-26, around 5ft 9ins to 6ft tall, and very overweight. The driver was a white male, around 18 or 19, with very short dark hair, slim and 5ft 6in to 5ft 8in tall.