Police: Parking dispute led to skull fracture in Brockton

BROCKTON, Mass. (WHDH) -- Police said a Brockton man was rushed to the hospital after his neighbor beat him over the head because of a parking space.

Juan Molina, 24, allegedly gave Javier Sosa a skull fracture after he supposedly hit him with a 3-to-4 foot long metal bracket in a dispute over a parking space.

Sosa was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center after the Sunday morning assault. He was later taken to a Boston hospital.

Molina appeared in court Monday on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

“He held up a metal bracket like a baseball bat and struck him several times in the side of the head,” said prosecutors.

Defense lawyers say Molina acted in self defense. Lawyers claim Sosa, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, instigated the fight and allegedly showed a firearm.

“Mr. Sosa approached my client…and hit him with it. It was a struggle. My client grabs the pistol, gets it out of his hands, realizes that it is not a firearm, but a BB gun. It is thrown to the ground,” said defense lawyer Jay McLaughlin. “Then Mr. Sosa comes after him with this pipe that was on the porch. He’s swinging, there’s a struggle.”

The police report does not mention that Sosa had a weapon.

“There was a struggle and we believe because Mr. Sosa was under the influence of alcohol and some drugs that he actually fell to the ground, so it happened in 30 seconds,” said McLaughlin.

Prosecutors say it was the victim’s young child who witnessed the attack and called police.

Molina is being held without bail until a dangerousness hearing later this week.