Townsville, Australia – A 76-year-old man, Joseph Formosa, is facing serious charges after being involved in a shocking road rage incident. Police alleged that Formosa violently attacked a woman, including spitting at her so hard that his dentures fell out. The incident has sparked outrage and concern in the community.
Formosa allegedly backed into another car in Townsville and attempted to drive away. When a passer-by tried to photograph his number plate, Formosa exited his car and proceeded to violently attack the woman. He allegedly punched her multiple times, pulled her hair, and spat at her, causing his dentures to fall out.
Clad in a fluoro yellow tradies shirt, Formosa appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court on Thursday, February 15. He was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and was yet to enter a plea. The prosecution opposed his bail application, stating that Formosa posed an unacceptable risk to the community due to the nature of the alleged attack.
The alleged assault involved Formosa pulling the woman from her car by her hair, and it was only stopped when another stranger intervened. Concerns were raised about the fact that Formosa lived in Victoria, raising the possibility of him being a flight risk.
Despite these concerns, Magistrate Richard Lehmann took into account Formosa’s advanced age and clean record of violent offending. Formosa was granted bail and ordered to reappear in court on March 20. He submitted a Rasmussen address where he can stay while on bail and was willing to report to the Kirwan police station weekly. The community is still reeling from the shocking incident and is awaiting further developments in the case.