Hackman Trades Blows After Fender Bender

October 30 -- A fender bender Monday night involving Oscar-winner Gene Hackman quickly escalated into a free-for-all in which both the 71-year-old actor and the occupants of the other car emerged with bruises, police say.Police quoted witnesses as saying Hackman's car, a Volvo sedan, collided with a Volvo station wagon on a busy street just off Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, and that after both drivers pulled over, the driver of the station wagon, a man in his 30s, became angry and began verbally abusing Hackman. "[Hackman] seemed to keep his cool," a witness told police, "But then something was said, and [Hackman] just hit him four or five times."

After the actor allegedly punched the other driver, another occupant of the station wagon kicked the actor in the groin, wrestled him to the ground, and flipped him onto his stomach, witnesses said.

Hackman Has 'No Recollection' of Being Kicked in the GroinThrough his publicist, Dick Guttman, Hackman said he had "no recollection" of being kicked in the groin." No recollection? Man, he's tough, especially for a septuagenarian. A police spokesman earlier had said the men were forcibly separated by police who arrived on the scene, but the Los Angeles Police Department later retracted that statement. "The men were not fighting when police arrived," Lee said. No major injuries were reported and neither person filed charges, police spokesman Jason Lee said. "They went on their way." Guttman said that except for a few bumps and bruises, Hackman was fine. "His film roles to the contrary, he's not a violent person," Guttman added. Having appeared in scores of films over the last four decades, Hackman, built a reputation as a versatile actor, but is best known for his Westerns and action films, including his Oscar-winning role as rule-breaking cop in The French Connection and evil sheriff in Unforgiven. His new movie, David Mamet's Heist, opens Nov. 9.

Reuters contributed to this story.