In his final moments alive, Peter Row may not have seen his killer coming.
It was late at night and Anthony Costanzo's truck lights were turned off as he pursued his 76-year-old victim through dark, narrow suburban streets.
Mr Row was standing next to his car when Costanzo drove into him, crushing him between the two vehicles.
He would have died instantly, but his body was not discovered until next morning.
Costanzo, meanwhile, did not get out of his truck to check on Mr Row and instead reversed into the bonnet of his Holden Commodore and fled.
A woman found Mr Row's body lying on the road, covered in blood, about 5.40am on September 4, 2023 in Melbourne's Doncaster East.
Police arrived at Costanzo's home within 30 minutes of the offending but he lied to them, the Supreme Court in Melbourne was told on Wednesday.
Costanzo, 35, was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by criminal negligence.
He was seeking retribution after Mr Row followed Costanzo and had driven into his cousin, the court was told.
Mr Row had been called by a night-shift worker after Costanzo's truck pulled into Hansen Technologies car park about 10.45pm on September 3, 2023.
Costanzo lived opposite and manipulated boom gates to let his truck inside, prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams said.
Mr Row arrived about 11.20pm, in his Holden and stopped behind Costanzo's truck.
The truck reversed into the front of the Holden and drove out of the car park, with Mr Row following him and calling triple zero to report what he believed was an attempted burglary.
Costanzo drove to his mother's home and when he arrived at the property - followed by Mr Row - a group of men were gathered on the street.
Two men approached Mr Row and one said "what the f*** are you going to do?"
Mr Row drove into that man, who was Costanzo's cousin and he hit the bonnet before standing up again.
He drove off and Costanzo pursued him in the truck without lights turned on.
Mr Row, who was still on the phone to police but stopped responding, drove to Tidcombe Crescent in Doncaster East and stopped 400m from a corner with his car headlights on.
He got out and stood near a back passenger door, before Costanzo rounded a bend and drove into him.
Costanzo's barrister Georgina Connelly SC said her client was afraid of Mr Row as he believed he was pursuing him for damaging his car and she argued it was not a serious example of manslaughter.
He was "very agitated and upset" over his cousin and did not remember turning his truck lights off, she said.
She said Costanzo had painted his truck after the incident, and did not need to confess when police first spoke to him as they were interviewing him about what happened to his cousin.
Mr McWilliams said Costanzo lacked remorse, and only protected his own interests in fleeing the scene.
Costanzo will be sentenced at a later date.
