Court docs: Man charged after throwing rock at mother, baby
Editor's note: The time of the incident was corrected. Details from Turpin's hearing on Thursday were also added.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Columbia man was charged with a felony and three misdemeanors on Tuesday after he allegedly tried to attack a woman and her baby last week.
Nicholas Turpin, 30, was charged with first-degree property damage and three misdemeanors: Resisting arrest, fourth-degree assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held at the Boone County Jail on a $10,000 bond. He pleaded not guilty at a Thursday afternoon hearing.
According to the heavily redacted probable cause statement, the victim told police that Turpin approached her and her infant child while she was walking out of a garage around 10:45 a.m. on June 11. Turpin allegedly started yelling at the woman and she replied that she couldn’t understand what he was saying, according to court documents.
Turpin then allegedly became aggressive and the woman told him to leave her and her baby alone, the statement says. Turpin then allegedly picked up a large rock and threw it at the woman and her child, the statement says. Another woman saw this and pulled her car between Turpin and the victim, court documents say.
The victim got in the vehicle and Turpin allegedly picked up the rock, threw it again and shattered the glass of the passenger window, court documents say.
The driver of the vehicle allegedly told police that she saw Turpin holding the rock, move toward the woman and child and saw him throw the rock, the statement says. The driver said she put her vehicle between Turpin and the victim and asked the victim to get in the vehicle to get away, the statement says.
The driver allegedly said Turpin shattered the passenger window and then threw a rock again and chipped the rear passenger window, court documents say. Police saw the shattered and chipped windows, the statement says. Court documents say the damage to the vehicle was estimated at $1,200. The driver sent an email to ABC 17 News stating the damage estimates were closer to $6,900.
Court documents say that Turpin tried to run away from police when officers arrived, and pepper spray had to be used to arrest him. Police wrote that Turpin is not taking his medications as prescribed and is not mentally stable.
