HARROWING 000 calls published for the first time today reveal the terror of a South Australian man chased at 180km/h along a country highway by a road-rage maniac firing at him with a .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum revolver.

Like a plot from a horror movie, West Coast surfer Zephatali Walsh watched his fuel gauge rapidly drop towards empty as he dodged bullets fired by enraged former soldier Michael Craig Anderson.

One of the bullets — fired from the high-powered silver handgun that Anderson called “Precious” — had pierced Mr Walsh’s fuel tank.

On Friday, a Supreme Court jury found Anderson, 51, of Western Australia, guilty by majority verdict of attempted murder on the Eyre Highway (National Highway 1) near Kimba in July last year.

The court has given the Sunday Mail and Advertiser.com.au permission to publish the panicked 000 calls in which Mr Walsh begs police to help him.

“I need help, I need help because he’s shooting at me — Jesus, again, what the f---,” he tells police operators in one of three separate calls.

“Oh Jesus Christ, I’m flat out and it’s raining, I’m really scared ‘cause the car is like — oh my God, this guy’s shooting at me.

“My car’s gonna run out fuel before I get ... I really need the police otherwise I’m gonna get shot.

“They’re right behind me. Who does that? Who shoots a f---ing gun at somebody?”

media_camera A sketch of Michael Craig Anderson in the dock. Artist: Tim Ide media_camera Road rage victim and surfer Zephatali Walsh.

Anderson’s trial heard the incident occurred after a minor overtaking incident.

Mr Walsh was heading from his West Coast home to Middleton, where he planned to celebrate with his mother on her 60th birthday.

He told the jury that as a fuel-saving strategy he always travelled at 90km/h, rather than the speed limit of 110km/h, during his frequent long-distance road trips.

It was this practice which apparently sparked the horrific ordeal.

In the first 000 call, Mr Walsh said: “He overtook me and he slowed right down and forced me to run into him, and then I just tried to overtake him and he’s shot at the side of my car. Then he’s come right up my arse and just shot again.”

HIGHWAY HELL - THE SECOND 000 CALL Listen to a driver calling 000 as his car is shot in an Outback road rage attack

Anderson, who had three legally acquired guns and ammunition in his car, told the jury Mr Walsh’s car was “moping along” and so he overtook it, only for the younger man to “nudge” him from behind and pass his vehicle.

His defence was that the situation forced him to fire five shots.

Anderson said he and his wife were on the third day of a trip from WA to SA to meet their granddaughter and “shoot feral goats” with her father.

“I was, you know, ‘WTF, crikey, what’s going on now?’ ... it really upset my wife, she screamed, we were both really scared shitless,” he told the court.

“This creep just comes out of nowhere and ruins our perfect holiday and he drives off like it’s got nothing to do with him, then he rings up 000 crying like a baby.”

Anderson was eventually arrested on the way to Port Augusta.

He showed little emotion as the jury read its verdict.

Justice Judge Sulan has remanded him in custody to appear for sentencing submissions in September.

His lawyer, Brian Deegan, said he will be psychologically assessed prior to that appearance.

HIGHWAY HELL - THE THIRD 000 CALL Listen to a driver calling 000 as his car is shot in an Outback road rage attack

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FIRST CALL — MALE OPERATOR

It’s police, how can we help you?

Hello, I’m getting shot at, I’m getting shot at on the road. Holy ... this guy has just shot at me twice with a handgun!

Where are you?

I’m just 20 or 30 k’s out of Kimba, driving towards Port Augusta, he’s chasing me, I’m going about 160 and he’s right up my arse. He’s just shot at me twice.

So you’re on the Augusta highway at Kimba?

Yeah, I need help, I need help because he’s shooting at me — Jesus, again, what the f---? Oh Jesus Christ, I’m flat out and it’s raining, I’m really scared ‘cause the car is like — oh my God, this guy’s shooting at me.

Do you know who he is or anything like that?

No I wouldn’t have a clue, I wouldn’t have a clue, he overtook me and he slowed right down and forced me to run into him and then I just tried to overtake him and he’s shot at the side of my car. Then he’s come right up my arse and just shot again, and then he’s just had another go then when I’m talking to you. Far out, man.

What kind of car are they in?

It’s like a silver Commodore, I’m in a red Commodore.

Is there more than one person in that car?

Um, I think so, yeah. I’m really scared, he’s right up my arse again, oh shit. I’m going about 180 now and he’s right up my arse. (garbled)

You probably need to slow down if you can, OK. Going faster, you can’t do much more. Are you there?

(Garbled). Are you there? Hello? Oh sorry.

Your phone’s cutting out ...

Oh f---, oh f--- he’s coming right up ... oh shit ... he’s right there, he’s right there. Oh f---, I’m freaking out, man.

So you’re just out of Kimba heading towards Port Augusta?

I need immediate help, oh my God, he’s right up my arse, I don’t think I’ve got enough fuel — are you coming out from Port Augusta?

Yeah we will be.

Oh f---ing hell, man. Sorry to be swearing but he’s shooting at me with a gun. Holy ...

A handgun is it?

Yeah a big handgun, a big one. Holy f--- man, I’m freaking out.

I’ve organised to let the patrols out that way know — how far out of Kimba do you think you are now?

Probably be about 30 or 40 k’s or something, I’m going real quick now. He’s dropped back a little bit now, he’s about 100m back, but ... holy shit, I’m in a red Commodore, I’ll be flying along.

I’m just going to stay on the phone with you for a bit.

OK. I can smell fuel.

So there’s more than one person in the car? Who’s the one who’s shooting, is it the driver or someone else? (call ends)

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media_camera The bullet hole in the fuel tank of the Holden Commodore driven by victim Zephatali Walsh. media_camera The gun fired by Michael Craig Anderson during the attack.

SECOND CALL — FEMALE OPERATOR

I’m being chased by a man with a gun in a car, halfway, Port Augusta from Kimba, I already talked to the Kimba, the Port Augusta police (garbled). He’s still there, he’s still taking potshots at me with his gun.

Are you in a car?

I’m driving at about 180 trying to get away but he’s right up my arse.

Do you know who this guy is?

I’ve got no idea.

Have you actually seen the gun?

I’ve seen the gun and he’s shot at me already ... he’s hit the car ... (garbled)

Just take a breath for me — whereabouts are you now?

I’m about (garbled)

Hello? Hello?

(garbled) I’m gonna die. He’s shooting me, he’s gonna ...

Your phone’s cutting in and out. Whereabouts are you now?

I’m about 40km from Iron Knob. My car’s gonna run out fuel before I get ... I really need the police otherwise I’m gonna get shot. (sobbing) ... I need police assistance, I need them.

You’ve got five patrols making their way from both Port Augusta and from Whyalla, okay, so hopefully you’ll be coming across someone very soon.

(more discussions about the police patrols)

Oh shit, oh shit, I won’t be able to make it, my car’s got hardly any fuel (garbled).

How much fuel have you got left?

Not much, about (garbled). He’s right up my arse, I really need to know where police are.

All right, so you’re about 40 k’s out of Iron Knob are you? Are there any landmarks that you’ve just gone past?

Sorry? ... No, sorry ... there’s nothing out here, my phone keeps on dropping out, oh f---.

What car are you in? Hello?

(Silence)

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THIRD CALL — SAME FEMALE OPERATOR AS SECOND CALL

Hello?

Hello, it’s the police

Yeah I’m still alive. (semi-hysterical laughter)

Are you still in your car?

Yeah I’m going flat out, I’m running away from somebody with a gun.

I know, I just spoke to you but the phone dropped out.

Yep, yep.

Have you seen any more landmarks, have you gone past any more signs?

No, no, I’m about 25km from Iron Knob. Oh ...

Are you still on Eyre Hwy?

Yeah, yeah, are the police on Eyre Hwy?

Yeah, they’ve got, they’re coming on the Eyre Hwy from Port Augusta and from Whyalla, OK? That’s the only way they can go to get to you.

Yeah, yeah, how far away from Iron Knob?

I don’t know — I’m talking to you, I’m not talking directly to them, so I don’t know exactly where they are. I’m just trying to stay in contact with you to find out where you are so I can let them know.

I’m freaking out yeah? I’m about 25 k’s from Iron Knob. My car’s running really low on fuel, I can’t keep going this speed unless the police are there to protect me.

Is this person still behind you?

Yeah, this dude ... flashing lights (indistinct) ... I have to go about 180 to keep about 100m distance between us.

And you have no idea who this person is?

I’ve got no idea, no idea at all. Just some crazy person with a gun.

All right. Can you let me know as soon as you see some sort of sign or some sort of ... where you are, you know, a post that says Port Augusta or anything.

There’s an emergency rest stop coming up. I’m 22km from Iron Knob, it says. (sobbing)

OK, so you’re by the rest stop, 22 k’s out.

(indistinct sobbing)

I’m just going to let the patrols know where you are, OK?

Yeah, where are they, can you ask them where they are?

Did you see any of the registration number of the car?

No I was too scared, I just went really fast to get away.

How close is the car to you now?

It’s about 100m, max. I’m in a red Commodore, they’re in a silver Commodore.

It’s a silver Commodore but you can’t see the rego?

I can’t see the rego. They’re right behind me. Who does that? Who shoots a f---ing gun at somebody (sobs).

So you’ve seen the gun. Did you see the person at all?

Yeah, an older male with a moustache. He’s pretty old you know, like 50s ...

(call ends)