Police arrest man for assaulting minivan with tire iron

            By Keith Sheppard, THG News

August 1, 2004

Muncie—A 44 year-old man was arrested and charged Saturday with destruction of private property, reckless endangerment, and resisting arrest after shattering the windows, headlights, and taillights of a woman’s minivan in the drive thru of a branch of a local bank.

Muncie police arrested James P. Raymond at the Fifth Third Bank branch on the corner of Gilbert and Elm Streets after a brief scuffle. 

Apparently Raymond became incensed with minivan driver Lisa Hatfield, 38, for taking too long to pull forward after making a transaction.  After honking his horn several times, witnesses say Raymond got out of his 2002 BMW Z3 and began hitting Hatfield’s Chrysler Town and Country with a tire iron.  Hatfield, who was alone in her van at the time, was not injured.

It took three police officers to subdue Raymond, a financial planner with no previous arrest record.  Raymond told the police that he is sick and tired of inconsiderate people and finally “lost it” when Hatfield would not pull forward after making her transaction. 

Hatfield says she was just trying to organize her checkbook when Raymond began his assault on her vehicle.

Raymond faces 7-12 years in prison if convicted of all counts against him.

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