Taco Bell patron saw teens 'harassing people' in parking lot, said he mowed them down with his Kia as way of 'knocking some sense into' them: Cops – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Pixabay)
Vancouver, Washington – A routine stop at a local Taco Bell turned into a serious police matter on May 12 when a driver deliberately struck two teenagers riding an e-bike in the parking lot. Authorities say the man had watched the pair for some time and decided to intervene with his vehicle after concluding they were harassing customers and damaging property. One of the teens suffered a compound leg fracture in the collision, prompting an immediate response from police and paramedics.
The Sequence of Events
According to court documents and statements from restaurant staff, the driver, identified as Charles Thorsen, observed the teenagers engaging in reckless behavior throughout the lot. They reportedly drove the e-bike in circles, blocked vehicles from leaving, and directed comments at people nearby. Thorsen reportedly told employees inside the restaurant that he planned to run the pair over and expressed that he was serious about the idea.
Minutes later, he followed through by accelerating his Kia into the e-bike as the teens rode through the lot. The impact threw both juveniles to the ground. Investigators later confirmed that the strike was intentional and that the vehicle continued over one of the victims after the initial contact.
Driver’s Account to Police
When questioned at the scene, Thorsen told officers he had intended to “knock some sense into the children” by hitting them with his car. He described the teens’ actions as “dumb stuff” that needed correction and said he acted after seeing them harass others in the area. Police determined the explanation did not justify the use of a vehicle as a weapon.
Thorsen was taken into custody on suspicion of vehicular assault. Investigators noted that the teens had been riding the e-bike in a manner that created hazards for everyone in the lot, yet they emphasized that no prior threat to the driver had been reported.
Injuries and Immediate Response
One teenager sustained a serious compound fracture to the leg and required urgent medical attention. Paramedics transported the injured teen to a hospital while officers secured the scene and began gathering witness statements from Taco Bell employees and nearby business workers. The second teen escaped with lesser injuries but was also evaluated at the scene.
Authorities later charged one of the teens in connection with the earlier harassment and property damage in the parking lot. Officials described the pair as having driven recklessly, prevented vehicles from exiting, and caused general disruption before the collision occurred.
Follow-Up Developments
Days after the Taco Bell incident, police visited the home of the charged teenager to conduct a welfare check because he had been absent from school. When officers attempted to arrest him for the parking-lot events, his mother allegedly sprayed one of them with a garden hose. She now faces a separate charge of third-degree assault.
The case has drawn attention to how quickly disputes in everyday locations can escalate when individuals choose to enforce their own sense of order. Local residents noted that similar groups of young people had been seen performing wheelies and other stunts in the area for some time, raising questions about prevention before tensions reach this level.
What matters now: Both the driver and one of the teens face criminal charges stemming from the same afternoon, while the injured teenager continues to recover from the leg fracture. The episode underscores the legal risks of taking physical action against perceived misconduct rather than contacting authorities.
