Men behaving badly: One beats the other's head with an ax handle after being "flipped the bird"

Wielding a broken ax handle, a Thief River Falls took a few home run swings at the head of another man, beating his victim bloody -- this after the victim had flipped the assailant the bird as he was driving by in his car.

The victim had also thrown half-full can of beer at the car.

On Nov. 19, Todd Danielson plead guilty to a felony charge of second degree assault in Pennington County District Court.

Koshenina needed 14 staples to patch the ax-handle gaps in his head. He was transported by ambulance after the beating to Northwest Medical Center in Thief River Falls.

The incident began when Danielson was driving by Koshenina's residence. Koshenina felt Danielson was driving too fast on a street where children were playing. He unfurled his middle finger at Danielson, and then slung a half-full can of beer at his car.

Danielson turned around, parked his car, pulled out an ax handle, and started whacking Koshenina in the head. After felling Koshenina, Danielson fled the scene. He later turned himself in to police, and was also found to be driving drunk at the time.

It turns out that the two men have a long history. Just two months before the assault, the roles were reversed. Koshenina was convicted of fifth degree assault against Danielson.

There's also a woman in the mix. The two feuding men have fathered children with the same woman, who is currently living with Danielson, and is also pregnant with his baby.

Danielson said that Koshenina had previously made a number of phone calls to him threatening his life.

Judge Tamara Yon sentenced Danielson to 120 days in jail and five years probation.