BEDFORD – A Heltonville man is facing charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and leaving the scene of an injury accident after police say he attempted to run over a male in the parking lot of Buffalo Wings & Rings on Saturday, March 2.
According to Bedford Police Major Clint Swanson, officers responded to the restaurant at 6:28 p.m. when a caller reported the driver of a gray Jeep Wangler had attempted to run a male over in the parking lot. The driver of the Jeep had left the parking lot and headed west on John Williams Boulevard. The caller was able to obtain the license plate of the Jeep.
The vehicle was registered to 36-year-old Nathan Rottet of Heltonville.
The victim told police he was sitting on his moped smoking a cigarette when he noticed Rottet’s vehicle pulling into the parking lot. He told police he didn’t know Rottet very well but was familiar with the vehicle. He told police that Rottet accelerated directly at him. He hit the moped head-on pushing the moped into a concrete wall. The victim was pinned between the moped and the concrete wall.
He suffered injuries to his left arm and leg. He had multiple abrasions to the inside of his elbow and had bruising, redness, and swelling to his left arm. An ambulance responded to the scene and the victim was transported to the hospital for treatment.
A female employee of the restaurant told police Rottet was her ex-boyfriend and she had just started seeing the victim and Rottet knew that.
Other witnesses confirmed the victim’s story.
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to 1675 Dutch Ridge Road in an attempt to locate Rottet. Once there, they located the Jeep and waited for Bedford Police officers to arrive. Officer Jarrett Tedrow and Maj. Swanson responded.
Rottet did not respond to the police knocking on his door, therefore Officers applied for a search warrant, which was granted by Judge Nathan Nikirk.
Officers with the Bedford Police Department SWAT team arrived on the scene and were able to help
execute the warrant. At approximately 9:24 p.m., officers again knocked and announced their presence with no answer. Officers forced entry into the residence and quickly located Rottet, who was lying down in a tool room.
Rottet was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Bedford Police Department for processing.
Photos were taken of the damage on Rottet’s Jeep which was consistent with striking the moped. A warrant was obtained for the Jeep and it was towed to Stone City Collision with a hold.
Rottet told police that the issue was between himself and his girlfriend because she had cheated on him multiple times. Rottet stated that people can only take so much, and he had taken a lot of mental abuse from his girlfriend over the years.
Rottet then stated as he pulled into the parking lot, he saw the victim’s moped. Rottet admitted he intended to destroy the moped, making it inoperable, and not to harm the man. Rottet went on to say that as he was accelerating to hit the moped, the male grabbed the moped by the handlebars and attempted to pull it out of the way, however, he was too late. Rottet admitted he struck the moped and pinned the male up against the wall. Rottet stated the only reason he left the scene was because his girlfriend and another male were yelling at him to leave.
Rottet was transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
