O.J. Simpson’s friend files lawsuit after bizarre Naples road rage incident

NAPLES, Fla. A man claiming to be a close friend of O.J. Simpson’s was involved in a violent road rage incident on Vanderbilt Beach Road nearly two weeks ago.

Tom Scotto had finished an interview on April 12 with a Dateline reporter about his friendship with Simpson, and offered to drive her and a friend back to their hotel, court documents show.

However, he accidentally missed the entrance.

“We made the next right into the parking lot and I was going to turn around,” Scotto said.

But instead, Scotto pulled into the parking lot next door.

As Scotto was preparing to turn around, Gary West, 80, jumped out of a dark colored Bentley, approached his window, and began attacking him, according to court documents.

“He punched me, I fell to the ground he jumped on me and he started wailing on my face,” he said.

Scotto tried to defend himself, but West slammed the car door on him and injured his shoulders.

“He incapacitated me,” he said. “I couldn’t move my arms, I couldn’t cover my face.”

While a witness did try to restrain West, he became afraid and quickly fled the scene, court documents show.

Shortly after, West fled as well.

Scotto is now filing a lawsuit for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“This guy beat the living hell out of Mr. Scotto for no good reason in front of two very credible eye witnesses, then fled the scene in his Bentley,” said Gary Green, Scotto’s lawyer. “Who does that?”

It’s unclear why West attacked Scotto.

No arrests have been made in this case.

West couldn’t be reached for comment.