A Jacksonville man is under arrest, after police say he deliberately drove his van into a tent where local Republicans were registering voters on Saturday.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said via social media that it has charged 27-year-old Gregory William Loel Timm with two counts of aggravated assault on a person 65 years old or older, as well as one count of criminal mischief and driving with a suspended license. The Republican Party of Duval County had set up the tent.
Today in Jacksonville, Florida six Trump Campaign volunteers were intentionally targeted while registering voters. pic.twitter.com/0wzaCYh5ut
— Duval County GOP (@DuvalGOP) February 8, 2020
The Duval County GOP also tweeted:
Thankfully, Republican volunteers narrowly avoided being struck by the accelerating van. The driver sped away after making an obscene gesture toward the crowd.
— Duval County GOP (@DuvalGOP) February 8, 2020
“Kind of out of the blue, a man approached us in a van, was waving at us, kind of a friendly demeanor, thought he was coming up to talk to us, instead he accelerated his vehicle and plowed right into our tent, our tables,” volunteer Mark Alfieri told Jacksonville television station WJAX.
Alfieri adds that Timm then backed up, recorded the damaged tent and scattered signs using his cell phone, and made obscene gestures before leaving the scene.
Jail records show that the suspect was still in custody as of Sunday morning.