Man charged for throwing pennies at car

ASHLAND, Mass., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- An Ashland, Mass., driver was arrested and charged for throwing a handful of pennies at another car, police said.

Paul P. Castelli, 42, was angry at a driver who honked at him Tuesday and retaliated by throwing a handful of pennies, MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, Mass., reported.

Police said the driver of the car that was showered with pennies honked when Castelli, in a GMC pickup, pulled out of a side street.

"At the next light, the pickup beeped its horn and the driver leaned out and threw a handful of coins at the car," said police spokesman Lt. Richard Briggs. "The coins went through the open window and the open sunroof."

A passenger in the car was hit in the face with a penny and the car was scratched by pennies, a police report of the incident said.

The driver of the car wrote down Castelli's license number and called police, who tracked him to his home, where he was arrested.

Castelli was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon -- the coins -- and malicious destruction of property worth more than $250.

Castelli pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released without bail. He is due back in court March 12.