Charity founder and Auckland Car Club president Ted Jarvis has been summonsed to appear in court next month on a charge of assault.
He has been asked to appear in Pukekohe District Court on December 1.
Jarvis, 61, was filmed shoving and kicking Australian photographer, Dirk Klynsmith during the end of the Supercars round in Pukekohe on Sunday.
Watch video footage of the incident here.
Jarvis is founder of the Silver Fern Charitable Trust, which seeks to get at-risk youths into motorsport. He was not employed or working as a volunteer at the event for Supercars.
The incident was filmed by another photographer, who gave a copy of the footage to police and from that Jarvis was identified.
The video shows Jarvis kicking, then pushing Klynsmith, who falls back onto a grass bank, landing on his camera equipment.
It appeared that Klynsmith momentarily lost consciousness. He received medical attention and flew back to Australia the next day.
Klynsmith said he had had an argument with a young security guard about where he was to go at the event.
“He swore at me and threatened to take my camera gear off me,” Klynsmith told NZME on Monday.
Later in the day, Klynsmith approached the same guard, wanting his name to make a complaint about his behaviour.
Jarvis and a number of other men got involved and an altercation ensued.
“Most of it was a verbal argument but that last bit was really fast and I certainly didn’t expect it.
“I spun around and the next minute I got knocked out,” Klynsmith told NZME.
The father of Supercars championship leader Shane van Gisbergen’s, Robert van Gisbergen, a long-time member of Auckland Car Club, declined to comment on the incident, but posted on Facebook about his disappointment.
“Not a proud ACC member ATM when our president behaves in this manner,” van Gisbergen wrote.
“Thoughts to Dirk and all the motorsport community.”
Fairfax Media contacted Jarvis, who declined to comment. He said he would put out a statement later on Monday, but it didn’t arrive.
Watch video footage of the incident here.
