WATERVILLE — A Benton man is facing criminal charges after allegedly trying to run down three men with his pickup truck on Monday evening.

Mark Tibbetts, 43, of East Benton Road, was arrested on College Avenue at 8:40 p.m. and charged with three counts of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon.

According to Waterville police Sgt. Dan Goss, Tibbetts was driving along the street when he encountered the three men, who were on the sidewalk.

A report on the incident has not been completed and details are sketchy, Goss said.

Tibbetts allegedly stopped his truck and got out to confront the three men, Goss said. Tibbetts was believed to have pre-existing problems with at least one of the victims, he added.

After getting out of his truck, Tibbetts got into an argument with the other men, Goss said, and the conflict escalated into a fistfight until the three men ran away.

At that point, Tibbetts got back into his truck and drove after the fleeing men, pursuing them through nearby backyards, Goss said.

Tibbetts eventually was apprehended by Waterville Officer Scott Dumas. He posted $1,500 cash bail and was not taken to jail, Goss said.

No injuries were reported in the incident. Goss did not release the names of the three victims. The investigation is still active, he said.

Reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon is a class C crime. Conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

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