Paul Kenneth Costello in court for road rage assault

A busy regional road became the scene of a car chase and violent road rage when one driver decided he did not like the slow speed another driver used when overtaking. Things escalated from there.

Paul Kenneth Costello pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm when he appeared before Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

A road rage incident in which a man threw a slushie at a vehicle on a busy road ended in violence when the father-of-two threw a 30cm screwdriver at his victim’s face.

Paul Kenneth Costello, 30, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm when he appeared before Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

The court heard Costello had been a passenger in a white vehicle travelling on Saltwater Creek Drive about 1.30pm on April 14 when another car began to overtake.

The driver of the car Costello was travelling in took “umbrage” at the slow speed the other driver was doing when he overtook, the court heard.

The vehicle pulled up alongside the other driver and “some aggression” commenced between the two, including swearing.

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Paul Kenneth Costello pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm when he appeared before Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

Costello then threw a slushie at the other vehicle and there was a “prolonged” situation through a number of streets where the driver of the vehicle pursued the victim.

At one point the victim felt so threatened, he ran a red light, the court heard.

When the vehicle came to a stop, there was a direct confrontation and Costello threw a screwdriver at the other man, striking him near the eye with a “glancing blow” that drew blood.

“Fortunately, it was not in the eye, which would have caused considerable greater injury and you may well have found yourself charged with a much more substantial offence,” magistrate John Milburn said.

The victim also pulled a drill out of the back seat of his car, causing Costello to become “fearful”.

Mr Milburn said he regarded the offending as a particularly serious instance of road rage.

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He said Costello had undertaken important work in terms of his rehabilitation, including undertaking detoxification and “doing so well”.

Mr Milburn said there had been “some reason” for Costello acting the way he did as he had been undertaking detoxification at the time.

“In a way it’s a double-edged sword in that you were prone to impulsive actions in part because of the effects of the detox.

“But also it shows you were trying to assist yourself.

“Ultimately through successful rehabilitation, the risk to others is substantially lower.”

Mr Milburn said to some degree there had been mutual aggression between the two parties.

Costello was placed on 18 months' probation and ordered to pay $1000 in compensation to the victim.

A conviction was recorded.