A road rage motorist has been jailed for nearly 10 years for crushing a man with a van - after previously killing another by careless driving. Francesco Ippolito, 37, used his Volkswagen Transporter to ram his victim against another vehicle - causing life changing injuries.
Ippolito was angered when his vehicle’s wing mirror made contact with another van. He got out to confront the other driver and two other men before driving at one them. He fled to Bristol before being arrested.
His victim, aged in his 30s, suffered fractures to both legs and a broken pelvis - and says it has ruined his life. Ippolito of Bleadon, Somerset, initially denied a charge of GBH but changed his plea to guilty two weeks before a trial.
He has now been sentenced jailed for nine years and four months at Bristol Crown Court. The incident happened on June 1 last year just outside Weston-super-Mare in Somerset.
In a statement ahead of sentencing the victim said: “This has had a huge impact on my family. I am unable to go out of the house unaided or play with my children. I am angry, upset and I constantly struggle with pain. This was over a broken wing mirror and this incident has ruined my life.”
Police say Ippolito was previously convicted of causing the death of a man in 2009 by careless driving. When releaed will remain on licence for an extended period of five years having been classed as a dangerous offender.
Judge William Hart told him: “The facts of this matter are this was an insignificant everyday event of a road traffic collision which led to extreme violence, you lost your self-control with devastating consequences. You fled the scene thereafter motivated by covering your tracks this evidence is overwhelming.
“The consequences for [your victim] are very grave indeed.”
Detective Sergeant Rachel Walls said: “This was a horrifying assault and the sentence given to Ippolito reflects how awful it was. We carried out a thorough investigation and it is due to the evidence we were able to gather that Ippolito ultimately had no choice but to plead guilty.
“I’d like to thank all the officers involved for their concerted efforts in locating the defendant, and throughout the investigation.
“Our thoughts remain with the victim and his family as the continue to live with and overcome the injuries sustained in the incident.”
