AC/DC's Phil Rudd Gets In Altercation With Witness As New "Mafia" Details Arise From Alleged Murder Plot

On Thursday morning, Leo Rojas was working at his cafe in Tauranga, New Zealand when he heard an altercation going on outside. He soon urged one of his employees to call the police as he checked the scene.

“I thought the big guy was trying to abuse an old man. Then I realized it was the old man trying to fight the big guy,” Rojas told The New Zealand Herald.

The old man was AC/DC’s longtime drummer Phil Rudd. The big guy was a prosecution witness in ongoing legal proceedings against him. Stuff.co.nz reports that according to Rudd's laywer, Craig Tuck, it was a "chance" meeting that was purely coincidence.

“Back up. I don’t want to break your face,” was the warning that the big man gave to Rudd. He then pushed the drummer who fell backwards over a sign and landed in the cafe creating a mess, according to the New Zealand Herald.

The "big guy" (whose name has not been made public) proceeded to the coffee shop. Rudd, not learning his lesson the first time, started going after the man, and got pushed down again.

“That’s why you don’t work with the mafia,” yelled Phil.

“Phil, get out of my way,” said the man, “that’s why I don’t work for you anymore.”

"Motherfucker," was Phil Rudd's response and he did get out of the man’s way, but not on his own will. The rock star’s bodyguard ended up holding him back as the man left. Rudd responded by hitting the person he hired to protect him.

Shortly after the altercation, the police had the drummer in handcuffs and he made an appearance in court.

Last month, the artist was charged with hiring to kill but the charge was dropped. However, he still faces a charge for threatening to kill a man and his young daughter (under 10 years old) over the phone on September 26 as well as two drug charges. The drug charges were a result from a police raid on Rudd's home in which they found 0.71 grams of methamphetamine and 130 grams of marijuana. Rudd has plead not guilty to threatening to kill and meth, but has fessed up to the marijuana posession.

The altercation with the witness was a breach of Rudd's bail, which he has awknowledged. In response, the judge has reinforced the stipulation that he cannot consume any illicit drugs as a condition for reinstatement.

The Guardian reports that Rudd returned to the coffee shop, in order to gather his possessions that he dropped during the altercation.

“Never get involved with the mafia” is what he warned the customers while collecting his belongings.

Rudd will be back in court on February 10th.

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