Flooring business operator Rickie Nathan Franklin faces Port Macquarie court pleading guilty after road rage confrontation
A Mid-North Coast businessman armed himself with a tyre iron in a nasty road rage clash which a court heard was sparked by frustration over a slow driver in an overtaking lane.
Mid-North Coast
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A Port Macquarie businessman armed himself with a tyre iron, demanded another driver get out his car and smashed a side mirror in an “unbelievable” road rage incident, a court has heard.
The clash sparked when Rickie Nathan Franklin was behind the wheel and trailing a car he believed was travelling slowly in the right hand lane on August 28.
Franklin tried to undertake in the left hand lane and the other driver also moved into that lane, causing Franklin’s vehicle to run into a guardrail.
Franklin got out of his car armed with a tyre iron, approached the other driver and told him to get out of the car, smashing his driver’s side mirror.
Defence lawyer Shelley Watts said the offending after Franklin got stuck behind the other vehicle was “reckless and unplanned”.
The 47-year-old pleaded guilty to stalking and intimidating and destroying or damaging valued at less than $2000.
Franklin faced Magistrate Georgine Darcy at Port Macquarie Local Court for sentencing on Wednesday.
Ms Darcy said road rage was “all too prevalent” and the incident was an “unbelievable” example of this kind of offending.
“You cannot let anger get the better of you,” she said.
Ms Watts said her client “concedes he has issues with anger management”.
Franklin owns and operates a flooring company in the Port Macquarie area, the court heard.
The court heard Franklin had a minimal criminal record, including one matter of violence and intimidation.
Franklin was convicted and sentenced to 18-month and 12-month community correction orders. He must complete 50 hours of community service work.
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