A Massachusetts resident, Ian Atkinson, 33, has been handed a two-year prison sentence for assaulting a woman and attempting to run her over with his car after she ignored his morning salutation. The verdict was delivered by Superior Court Judge Michael Doolin, who found Atkinson guilty of assault and battery, as well as assault with a deadly weapon, following a three-day bench trial, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
The incident took place around 9 a.m. on July 13, 2023, when law enforcement was summoned to a woman’s home on Balsam Street in Dorchester. The woman, who was tending to her garden at the time, reported that an unidentified man, later identified as Atkinson, made a derogatory comment about her ignoring his greeting.
The woman started filming Atkinson with her mobile phone as he got into a nearby black Mercedes. Atkinson then got out of the car and assaulted the woman, punching her multiple times in the face and throwing her against a fence, as per the prosecution’s account.
The woman was able to defend herself by biting Atkinson. He then got back into his car and drove towards her, narrowly missing her before he fled the scene.
When the police arrived, they found the woman with a broken nose and bruises on her face and head. Detectives were able to identify Atkinson through the video footage and found out that he was wearing a GPS monitor due to a previous arrest. He was arrested a few days later.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden commended the victim’s bravery in a statement. He emphasized her quick thinking to film the incident and her courageous testimony, which provided vital evidence leading to the judge’s verdict.
After serving his prison term, Atkinson will be on probation for two years.