Geraldton bartender known as ‘Smiley’ stabbed multiple times in alleged road rage attack in Perth

Despite a 10cm wound on his neck and other scars healing across his body after an alleged road rage attack in Perth, a Geraldton bartender called Smiley is intent on remaining positive and, as his nickname suggests, keeping a smile on his face. Phillip, who is known as Smiley, is on the mend in the hospital after he was stabbed five times on February 8, with one of the stabbings nearly severing an artery. The 21-year-old, who did not want his surname published, was back in Geraldton this week and spoke to the Guardian to let his concerned colleagues and regular customers at the liquor store and bar where he works know that he was healing well. “I’m all good ... I’ve gotta get some therapy. I feel like that’s what you need, even if you feel like you don’t need to, you probably do,” he said. Smiley said despite what he had gone through, he would continue to thrive and remain positive. “I’m very optimistic. I’m not gonna hide inside, I’m still going to live my life and do the things I love doing but I think I’ll definitely need to get some counselling just to ease the trip,” he said. The bartender travels back and forth from Geraldton to Perth once a week to work casually at bars and bottle shops and visit his family. Smiley said he won’t be earning an income for the next three months while he recovers from his injuries and was lucky he had savings to stay on top of his rent and bills. Smiley said he was driving to the speed limit on a road in Medina with a passenger after finishing MMA training when a Mitsubishi Triton began tailgating him before the driver pulled up alongside him, allegedly waving a metal pole in the air and threatening him. “I was like ‘nah, I’m leaving. I’m gonna chuck a right and get off the road’,” Smiley said. Smiley said he pulled up near Medina Oval on Brownell Crescent and left the car. A Perth court was told the accused attacker, 29-year-old Patrick Joseph Gray, allegedly ploughed into the door of Smiley’s Suzuki Swift, throwing him on the ground and attacking him with a knife. The court was told Smiley received five stab wounds to his neck, right lower chest and forearms and children had seen the incident. “I was just focused on my breathing and because I’m Christian I was saying the same scripture, ‘I can do all things through Christ for he strengthens me’; I was just repeating that over and over again,” Smiley said. “I’m a very big believer of God and Jesus and that definitely played a big part.” Smiley said he was helped by an off-duty nurse who lived nearby who was able to calm his breathing and apply pressure to his wounds while waiting for an ambulance. His injuries included a laceration a few millimetres from the artery in his neck, another two in the diaphragm and the abdomen causing hemopneumothorax and damage to his liver, and lacerations to his left elbow and arm. The 21-year-old remained in Royal Perth Hospital for four nights and was discharged on Monday, February 13. Mr Gray appeared in Rockingham Magistrates Court on Friday, February 10, charged with one count of intent to do grievous bodily harm, one count of being armed to cause fear, one count of reckless driving and one count of no authority to drive. Mr Gray’s lawyer Amir Murad said although the prosecution’s alleged facts made it seem this was a road rage attack, he painted a different picture in court, claiming Mr Gray was pursued by two men and acted in self-defence when they approached him. Prosecutor Sen. Const. Jessica Anderson said it was an “extremely strong case” against Mr Gray and “multiple witnesses say he was the aggressor”. Mr Gray was remanded in custody and will reappear in court on Friday, February 24.