BOSTON -- A New Bedford has been charged with assault after he allegedly drove his car full speed into a telephone pole in an attempt to injure his stepchildren and their friend on Monday morning, police said.

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New Bedford police said Norberto Fraticelli, 43, offered to take his girlfriend's children and nephew to school, and then drove the car directly into a telephone pole, smashing the hood in and shattering the windshield, injuring the children and causing the vehicle to catch fire.

Fraticelli was wearing a seat belt, but the children were not, Lt. Jeffrey P. Silva said.

Authorities said the incident was an attempted murder suicide. They said Fraticelli was angry with his girlfriend of seven months, Tanya Ramos Daveiga, the children's mother, and intended to retaliate.

"How could this really be happening? How could he be angry with me and then take it out on the kids with your driving?" Daveiga said outside the courtroom following Fraticelli's appearance.

The 15-year-old girl in the car had two teeth knocked out in the crash. Her 12-year-old brother and a 14-year-old friend in the car also suffered minor injuries in the crash.

"As he was driving, he put on his seat belt, which was factually significant because we learned that he doesn't usually wear a seat belt, nor does he require the children to. And then stepped on the gas and headed right for a phone pole," New Bedford police Lt. Jeffrey Silva said.

Everyone was treated at the scene and taken to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford. They were expected to recover.

Fraticelli's defense attorney said he was swerving to avoid two other children walking in the road, but the three children in the car said there were no pedestrians and no other cars. They said it was an intentional act of violence.

"I looked out of my window and I seen the car crash into the post so I ran outside and all I see was, I think it was the father, he came out of the car and was like, looking at the car, and wasn't even worried about the kids," witness Shelly Rodrigues said.

Daveiga said she hopes her Fraticelli will work out his anger issues. In the meantime, she said, the reality of what happened was only beginning to sink in.

"I wanted to freak out but I had to stand strong for them so I didn't. This is my first time crying," she said.

Fraticelli was charged with three counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and one count of negligent operation of a motor vehicle. He was ordered held without bail and must appear in court again for a dangerousness hearing.