A 77-year-old driver has been charged following an incident at a No Kings rally in Jackson Township that resulted in a pedestrian being struck by his vehicle. The Jackson Township Police Department has confirmed that Donald Frank is facing charges after he reportedly did not stop his car after hitting the protester with his Ford F-150 on October 18. According to police reports, there was no indication that Frank intentionally targeted the protesters, as stated in a news release acquired by CantonRep.
The evidence, including eyewitness accounts, photographs, and Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) data, suggests that Frank was driving along Fulton Drive NW when his vehicle moved between a right-turn-only lane and the adjacent through lane. Near Community Parkway NW, the protester was reportedly standing a foot and a half to two feet from the curve before being struck, FOX8 reported based on the police statement.
Woefully, Frank will be charged with one count of Stopping After Accident and one count of Marked Lanes, pursuant to the Massillon Prosecutor's Office review of the Jackson Township Police Department’s collected evidence. As reported by Cleveland19, the charges do not rise to the level of a felony due to the nature of the injuries sustained by the victim.
In addition to the charges, a BMV Recertification Form has been submitted, which will require the driver, a 77-year-old man unaware of the ramifications of his actions at the time, to undergo a medical review as recommended by the police. "Based on the collective evidence, there is no indication that the incident was an intentional act," Police Chief Mark Brink firmly indicated in a statement, which CantonRep reported.
The No Kings protest, happening concurrently on the day of the incident across numerous cities, was a movement in opposition to policies of the then-Trump administration. The name of the protest reflects the sentiment toward what is seen as authoritarian leadership and the people's opposition to it. As the investigation progresses, local community members and activists are closely monitoring the case's developments and the well-being of the injured protester.
