A LOUD BANG and a flash from the barrel of a gun pointed towards a man "scared the absolute sh*t" out of him during an alleged incident near Tamworth, a trial has been told.
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Anthony Luke Ritter, the alleged victim in the case, gave evidence on the second day of Anthony James Koicev's trial in Tamworth District Court on Tuesday.
Koicev is accused of using an offensive weapon with intent just after 11pm on October 17, 2019, on a residential street in Carroll. He has pleaded not guilty.
Mr Ritter told the court he was travelling between two homes he owned in the small town when he noticed a man he claimed was Koicev reverse from a driveway and follow him, before stopping his Holden Commodore in front of Mr Ritter's ute and pulling out a firearm.
"It appeared to be a sawn-off shotgun," Mr Ritter said. "He pulled it out the driver's window, pointed it at me and pulled the trigger."
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He gave evidence he heard a bang and saw "flames come out of the barrel".
"It scared the absolute sh*t out of me," Mr Ritter told the court.
Mr Ritter said he tried to ram the Commodore, but his "bloody diesel Hilux" was too slow as the alleged shooter drove off.
He said he chased Koicev down a dead-end rural road before stopping, calling the police and waiting for him to come back.
The court heard recordings of three emergency Triple Zero calls Mr Ritter made after the alleged incident.
"Mate, I've been shot at," he said to the operator during the first call.
Koicev's defence barrister suggested during cross-examination that Mr Ritter was "jealous" about a block of land Koicev had purchased and put it to him that the shooting allegation was false, which Mr Ritter denied.
Mr Ritter told the court he and Koicev had been "mates" in the years previous and would catch up for a beer and a yarn, though the relationship soured for no particular reason, according to him.
The trial also heard from Carroll residents and police on Tuesday.
One officer, who met with Mr Ritter on the night of the alleged incident, gave evidence he was "shaking" and "crying".
The Crown case will continue before Judge Deborah Payne on Wednesday.
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