Prosecutors charge man whose vehicle hit men in parking lot in Springfield

June 23, 2011|by KY3 News

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A man from Springfield is charged with hitting three men with his vehicle in a parking lot early Wednesday. Chad Johnson, 22, faces three counts of second-degree assault for hitting Anthony Edwards, Cody Edwards and Allen Crow in an apartment building parking lot at 2929 E. University St. about 3:30 a.m.

The probable cause statement used as the basis of the charges says Johnson was at a party and became "upset and disruptive and asked to leave. Johnson was escorted out of the residence and allowed to leave."

A detective writes that, according to witnesses' statements, the three men were talking outside the building and "saw Johnson's vehicle racing towards Anthony . . . and struck Anthony, causing him to roll onto the hood of the car and then off onto the side of the driveway. Cody went to the aid of his brother (Anthony) when Johnson stopped the car and drove back toward him.

"Cody advised he was not able to move out of the way of the vehicle and was also struck by the vehicle being driven by Johnson. Cody too rolled onto the hood of the vehicle. Crow too was unable to out of the vehicle's path. The rear of the vehicle struck him and sent him flying into the grass on the south side of University just west of the apartment complex. Johnson then left the scene."

A police officer stopped Johnson in his vehicle a couple of blocks from the apartment. The officer said Johnson told him, "Did you arrest the other people, they're a bunch of ********! I ran over them on purpose..."

The detective wrote that Johnson, after being read his rights, admitted he intentionally ran over Cody when he backed up. He told the detective that, when he left, "Anthony was pulling on his vehicle's window trying to break the window and he and Cody were calling him names and threatening him. Johnson said he returned to the party after leaving only to pick up a friend he went to the party with. He advised Anthony jumped out in front of him while he was driving through the parking lot, but after striking him the first time he wanted to hit him again with the vehicle, so he backed up toward him. Johnson admitted his intention was to hit Anthony with his vehicle."

A judge set Johnson's bond at $25,000 and ordered him to have no contact with the men whom he hit, and not to go to the apartment building, and to have a curfew of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

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