Man accused of using his car as a weapon

A Vermont man is facing charges after he allegedly sideswiped a teenager and the teen’s stepfather with a car after he said a dog bit him.

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Published March 28, 2016 in the Rutland Herald Man accused of using his car as a weapon By ERIC FRANCIS WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Vermont man is facing charges after he allegedly sideswiped a teenager and the teen’s stepfather with a car after he said a dog bit him. Taylor James, 26, pleaded innocent recently to misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment and simple assault and was released from the courthouse on pre-trial conditions, including a prohibition against contacting or harassing the alleged victims. Springfield Police Officer Coriander Santagate wrote in his affidavit that he responded to Spencer Hollow Road on Feb. 5 to investigate after receiving a report that Leighton Reed, 19, and his stepfather Adam Bates, 40, had just been struck by James’ Subaru Forester. Reed said he had invited James over to hang out for the day, but as James was getting out of his car one of the family’s dogs nipped at his hand, Santagate wrote in his report. In his own sworn written statement about the incident, Bates wrote, “The boys opened the door and my dogs went outside. I heard Taylor yelling at the dogs saying he was going to beat the dogs. I went outside and told him not to threaten my dogs and to get off my property. He told me he was going to kill my dogs and then started threatening me.” At the time, Santagate wrote, “Reed told me James made it most of the way down the driveway but appeared to not be able to turn around (so he) drove forward again up the driveway. Bates was at the edge of the driveway near the retaining wall (when he allegedly) struck Bates with the vehicle in his left leg and thigh area.” The report continued, “Reed advised he thought Bates was going to be pulled under the front of the driver’s side but ended up being pushed to the side of the driveway on top of the retaining wall.” “Reed stated he went after James with a shovel (and then allegedly) James hit him in the hip with the front bumper of the car before driving away,” Santagate wrote. In his written statement, Bates said James was “still yelling” at him in the moments before James “drove at” him and struck him with the car. An ambulance was called but neither man ended up being transported because they reported sustaining only bruising from the incident. Santagate wrote there were still clear tracks in the snow covering the driveway when he came to investigate, noting, “the tracks ... show signs of rapid acceleration both forward and in reverse.” Santagate said James called him during the investigation and so he went to James’ house and found “his version was very similar to Reed’s statements.” “(James) admitted to have a very loud and heated argument with both Bates and Reed (and to) wanting to leave the house as quickly as possible because Reed had picked up a shovel,” Santagate wrote. “He knew he had struck Reed,” but did not mention Bates, saying “it was not intentional... he was simply trying to leave the property.” James completed a written statement in which he said the moment he got out of his car and shut the door he “was attacked and jumped on by a pit bull (which) ended up biting my left hand.” James’ record includes several previous convictions for disorderly conduct. In the past he has pleaded no contest to careless and negligent operation and leaving the scene of an accident. In a 2008 road rage incident a motorcyclist claimed that James had deliberately caused him to crash by slamming on the brakes of his car after James allegedly refused to allow him to pass. James faces a maximum potential penalty of up to two years in jail if convicted of both misdemeanor counts now pending against him. http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20160328/NEWS02/160329510