Inset: Oliver McSorley (Pewaukee Police Department). Background: The intersection where a road rage incident turned violent in Pewaukee, Wisc. (Google Maps).
A troubling incident unfolded in Wisconsin recently, where a teenager found himself at the center of a disturbing road rage episode that resulted in an elderly man, aged 81, being viciously attacked. The elderly victim was discovered severely beaten, bleeding, and possibly suffering from a concussion by the side of the road.
The teenager, identified as Oliver McSorley, 19, faces serious charges, including battery to an elder person with the intent to inflict bodily harm. These charges were confirmed by Waukesha County court records, which were accessed by Law&Crime.
This alarming event took place towards the end of October, in proximity to the Waukesha County Technical College campus. Despite the incident occurring several weeks ago, formal charges were only brought against McSorley this month, as outlined in the court documents.
The altercation began on October 28, as both McSorley and the elderly gentleman were navigating their separate vehicles eastward on Golf Road. As reported by Milwaukee’s ABC affiliate WISN and local newspaper The Freeman, tensions escalated when McSorley started tailgating the senior driver, leading the octogenarian to deliberately reduce his speed as a form of retaliation.
This exchange of road rage intensified, culminating in McSorley accelerating past the older man in a reckless manner, subsequently cutting him off, according to authorities. The build-up of animosity during their shared journey reached a dangerous climax, leaving the elderly victim in dire condition.
The die was not yet quite cast. The drivers” shared road rage apparently built up, and the defendant sped up, driving past the older driver aggressively and cutting him off, authorities say.
Then, at a traffic light near Main Street and College Avenue, the older man caught up to McSorley and inched his truck closer until he touched the bumper of the younger man’s vehicle, according to the complaint.
At this point, the defendant pulled his car over to the side of the road, followed by the alleged victim, who did the same with his truck, law enforcement said. Each man got out of his vehicle and an argument ensued. At some point, the 81-year-old pushed the teenager.
McSorley allegedly responded by punching the elderly man over and over in the head and body until a group of bystanders intervened to stop the beating and call police, according to law enforcement.
One 911 caller said the defendant was “aggressively punching” the older man who was in a fetal position as if “the younger man was trying to punch the older man into the ground,” the complaint says. The caller added that she believed the assailant “may mortally injure the older man.”
The older man reported his ears and one eye were bleeding and that he likely suffered a concussion along with scrapes and bruises, according to the complaint. The alleged victim also reported blurred vision and difficulty moving his right shoulder, police said.
The defendant allegedly left the scene of the crime after a second person pulled up and shouted, “Come beat me up,” according to the complaint. McSorley later turned himself in to the Pewaukee Police Department. Attorney in tow, the defendant said the older man started the fight by pushing him in the chest, knocking his glasses off and threatening to shoot him. McSorley added that he feared for his life – though admittedly never saw a gun, according to the complaint.
Then, when in jail, McSorley allegedly made a telltale phone call to a relative, which was recorded, police said. During this call, the defendant allegedly said: “I wish I would’ve beaten him to a pulp…I should have beaten the s– out of him…he is lucky he only has a concussion. I could’ve literally beat him to an inch of his life.”
