A repeat road rage driver struck another motorist’s van with a baseball bat in a right of way dispute on a Dunfermline road, a court has heard.
Antonio Bocchino fetched the bat from his car and chased the other driver, before smashing his wing mirror.
He racially abused and punched a motorist in the face after pursuing him for over a mile in a separate incident four months later.
On a third occasion he got out of his car and shouted and swore at another driver.
Bocchino, 34, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted assault to injury, two charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner – one of which was racially aggravated – and driving carelessly.
Baseball bat attack
Prosecutor Charlotte Allen told the court that at around 4.15pm on May 14 2022 Bocchino, of Whitelaw Road, Dunfermline, was driving on Garvock Hill and failed to give way to another driver at a narrow section of road.
He ended up stopping alongside the van.
The fiscal depute said: “A verbal argument took place about who had right of way and both exited their vehicles.
“The accused then retrieved a baseball bat from his car and has then used the baseball bat to hit (the) van, causing the wing mirror to smash.
“The argument continued for a short while after that before the accused returned to his vehicle and drove away.”
Ms Allen said the van driver was chased a short distance before his vehicle was struck.
The incident was reported to police and when later charged, Bocchino said he was trying to defend himself and “wanted to scare him away so I got the bat”.
Racist outburst
The court heard that at around 1pm on September 19 2022 another male driver was out in his car with his eight-year-old son.
The fiscal depute said he was driving along Trondheim Parkway West when a Mercedes appeared to his left on approach to the roundabout with Linburn Road and began “overshooting” the lines separating the lanes.
This brought the vehicles too close to each other as they navigated the roundabout.
Ms Allen said the male driver continued towards Greenshank Drive and noticed the accused was driving closely behind him and flashing his lights.
“(The male driver) believed this was a bid to make him stop his car, however he did not do so as he had his son with him.
“He continued the length of Greenshank Drive and onto Aberdour Road, eventually arriving at Dunnock Road being pursued by the accused the whole time, at which point he felt he had to stop and pulled over into a parking area.”
The fiscal depute said the complainer asked his son to stay in the car and got out to see Bocchino approach him, shout and swear, and accuse him of going too fast at the roundabout.
Ms Allen said: “The accused was shouting comments including ‘f***ing idiot’ and ‘f***ing p*ki’.
“After shouting, the accused has shortly afterwards punched (the male driver) to the left side of his face, knocking him to the ground.”
Ms Allen said the accused’s partner then left the Mercedes to try to get Bocchino back into the car, as the other motorist returned to his vehicle and drove off.
The fiscal depute said Bocchino’s victim contacted police and went to hospital, where an x-ray to his jaw showed soft tissue damage under his left ear.
Third incident
Ms Allen said that on the morning of May 24 2022 Bocchino overtook two vehicles in his Mercedes in a 20mph speed limit on Blacklaw Road, Dunfermline.
The fiscal said one of the other drivers then began to overtake Bocchino, who increased his speed and prevented him from moving back into the correct lane.
Both drivers stopped on Woodmill Road.
Ms Allen said Bocchino got out and made his way to the other driver’s car, shouting and swearing that he should exit his vehicle.
Bocchino then got back in his car and left.
Sheriff Wyllie Robertson deferred sentencing until February 14 for reports.
For more local court content visit our dedicated page or join us on Facebook.
