Police: Man tried to run down group of children in Utah parking lot

A 42-year-old Murray man faced several felony charges Thursday after witnesses said he used his RV to run down a group of children who were talking to each other in a Washington City parking lot.

The four children told police they were talking in a Walmart parking lot Wednesday night when they watched a man later identified as Nickolas Michael May start driving his light-colored RV right at them, according to a probable cause statement filed Thursday in 5th District Court. The children said the 42-year-old was smiling and laughing as he drove straight at them.

Police said May struck a 16-year-old and hit the parked SUV the children were standing next to. Witnesses told police that the RV's awning pole fell on the 16-year-old, pinning him against the RV, according to the PC statement. Court records did not indicate how the teen freed himself or what injuries he suffered.

Police said May then drove the RV to the gas pumps where he turned around and drove back toward the children before leaving the parking lot, the PC statement shows. The children said they feared they were going to die, the PC statement shows.

Witnesses apparently decided to follow May as he left the Walmart parking lot and drove into St. George. Once inside the city limits, police said May crashed the RV, injuring himself.

When medical personnel arrived, May told them he had already drank 13 beers, and a police officer could smell alcohol on his breath, according to the PC statement.

On Thursday, the Washington County Attorney's Office charged May with one count of aggravated assault, a second-degree felony; three more counts of aggravated assault, all third-degree felonies; driving under the influence, a third-degree felony; causing an accident involving injury or death, a class A misdemeanor; and reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor.

Court records did not indicate why May allegedly targeted the children.

jstecklein@sltrib.com

Twitter @sltribjanelle