Warning: This story contains images some readers may find distressing.
A tradie has recounted the moment he was brutally assaulted after an argument with another driver escalated.
The road rage attack in Melbourne left him bloodied with broken teeth.
"I just went straight into fight or flight, you know, like protect myself. I thought I was done for, to be honest. I've never been in a situation like that before," Ciaran said.
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The 21-year-old was struck in the head with a bat, kicked and punched in a vicious road rage attack.
"They were screaming at me, 'we're gonna f—ing kill you', calling me a rat and stuff," he said.
"I don't even know these guys."
He says the argument began when he beeped his horn at a BMW travelling at half the speed limit in Keilor Downs.
"They were pushing me off the road, my car was hitting the rims on the side," he said.
"Both vehicles collided when he tried to cross lanes and instead was pushed into a fence.
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"And as I turned to get out of the car, I got a bat into the face and instantly I just felt all my teeth just crumble into my mouth.
"Blood instantly coming everywhere, I tried backing away from them."
The driver and his passengers continued to lay into the apprentice plumber.
"All I was focused on is protecting my face 'cause it was bleeding, you know, so I'm protecting my face, trying not to let my teeth come out. So I'm just getting kicked in the back of the head," he said.
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"I was pretty scared, but I did get up to my feet just out of pure adrenaline and run in front of traffic, in front of oncoming traffic to try and get away from them, which did work."
The BMW fled before police arrived. They're now working to identify those men to hear their side of the story.
Anyone who knows them is being urged to come forward.
The victim also warned other drivers.
"Definitely just be careful who you beep at, I guess, you know, sometimes it's not worth it," he said.
