Norlane man Dillon Pugliese threatened, assaulted woman and launched road rage attack

A Norlane man who threatened to burn a woman’s house down after he assaulted her has also faced court for smashing a car window with a metal pole in a road rage incident.

A Norlane man who flew into a fit of road rage following a seemingly minor incident used a metal pole to smash the window of another car in retaliation, a court has heard.

Dillon Pugliese, 26, was in a car driven by his heavily pregnant partner on July 10 last year when another car swerved into their path to avoid a third car turning right.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday that after the incident on The Boulevard, North Geelong, Pugliese directed his partner to follow the car for about 600 metres to Thompson Rd.

Dillon Pugliese who faced the Geelong Magistrates' Court on Monday

At the traffic lights, Pugliese got out of his car with a metal pole and demanded the victim, a delivery driver, get out of his van.

Police prosecutor Denise Frame told the court when the victim tried to drive away Pugliese used the pole to smash a window on the victim’s car.

Ms Frame said the victim received cuts to his face where glass smashed on him.

She said Pugliese told police after the incident he was furious because his heavily pregnant girlfriend was nearly in an accident.

Pugliese also faced court on Monday for assaulting a woman known to him on December 6 last year at a Norlane home after he became angry with her during a fight about a birth certificate.

As the argument escalated the woman fled to a bedroom, and Pugliese followed her in and shut the door, the court heard.

As she tried to escape, Pugliese pushed the women into a wall with enough force to damage it and punched her in the mouth.

When the victim finally escaped and tried to flee to a friend’s house, Pugliese told her he’d burn the house down if she didn’t return in 10 minutes.

He was arrested four days after the incident and has been in custody since.

On Monday, Pugliese pleaded guilty to contravening a court order, unlawful imprisonment and assault.

He also pleaded guilty to drug driving, driving while disqualified, property damage, assault, motorbike theft and drug possession.

Pugliese told the court he was remorseful and needed help for his cannabis addiction.

“It is the first time I want to help myself,” he said.

Magistrate Jelena Popovic said she would consider more jail time for Pugliese, and ordered he be assessed by Corrections Victoria before his next court date on March 2.

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Originally published as Norlane man Dillon Pugliese threatened, assaulted woman and launched road rage attack