Celina man charged with trying to run over kids

CELINA- A 43-year-old Celina man who allegedly tried to run over a group of kids in the Bryson Park District with his van on Monday has been hit with a felony assault charge.

James J. Garman was charged on Tuesday with one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000.

Celina Police Sgt. Gabe Bartlett was dispatched to the area of North Buckeye and East Fulton streets at about 9 p.m. Monday on reports of someone in a vehicle trying to run over a group of kids, according to an affidavit.

Upon arrival at the scene, Bartlett reportedly located a group of children who said a male driving a "white full-sized van" drove into the park and onto the basketball courts.

"He was looking for two boys that had gotten into a fight with his son earlier in the day," Bartlett wrote in the affidavit. "Those two boys had left the park. The male was very agitated. The male then got back into his van and drove at the kids, almost striking them. He then left the area."

Bartlett wrote than an unidentified witness observed the incident and followed the van after it left the park. The witness called police and provided the van's license plate number.

"Officer (Zachery) Nelson located the vehicle on Kingswood Drive in Celina," Bartlett wrote in the affidavit. "The adult male was identified as James J. Garman. He was still agitated and told Nelson he should be investigating the kids who were fighting with his son instead of him."

Celina Police Sgt. Colin Fuelling reviewed surveillance video from Bryson Park on Tuesday.

"He could see that the van did drive up onto the basketball court and almost struck one of the kids and scared the other kids, causing them to run and take evasive action to avoid being hit," the affidavit reads.

Garman is being held at the Mercer County jail. Bond was set at $50,000 subject to 10%. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court today.