Building rage: Angry man drives truck into mental health center
By Wes Wade | (wes.wade@thedailytimes.com)
A man who apparently became agitated with staff at the Helen Ross McNabb Center in Maryville rammed the building with his truck multiple times Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
Jerry Michael Lindsay, 55, of Dusjane Way in Maryville, was taken into custody on a charge of third offense DUI. He was being held Thursday night on an investigation into additional charges, said Maryville Police Chief Tony Crisp.
Police, fire and emergency personnel responded to the Helen Ross McNabb Center on East Broadway Avenue at around 4:45 p.m. after receiving reports that a man had rammed the building with his truck.
Crisp said, based on the investigation, Lindsay had visited the facility earlier in the day asking about treatment options. He then reportedly returned and began demanding treatment and hospitalization services from the facility, which offers mental health, substance abuse treatment and social services.
“They were trying to schedule him an appointment and he became angry and told them he was going to take his truck and run it through the building,” Crisp said. “And, in fact, he did do that ... at least two times.”
While there were several people in the building, Crisp said, none were injured.
The incident left several thousands of dollars worth of damage to the building, Crisp said. Lindsay attempted to back out after ramming the building for the last time and crashed his truck into a utility pole in the parking lot.
When police arrived, they found an intoxicated Lindsay yelling in the parking lot, Crisp said.
Additional charges are pending as the investigation continues, Crisp said. They could possibly include several counts of aggravated assault or reckless endangerment charges.
