Teens allegedly harassing people at Taco Bell get run over by angry customer who said he wanted to ‘knock some sense into’ them, police say

A Washington state man allegedly ran down two teens with his Kia outside a Taco Bell after watching them “harassing people” and causing trouble in the parking lot, according to police and witnesses.

Charles Thorsen allegedly warned Taco Bell employees about what he planned to do while observing the teens’ behavior on May 12, court documents obtained by local CBS affiliate KOIN state.

“I’m going to run them over,” Thorsen allegedly told workers. “I’m serious.”

According to the Vancouver Police Department, Thorsen later carried out the threat and struck the teens while they were riding an e-bike.

Officers and paramedics rushed to the scene after one of the victims suffered serious injuries, according to a VPD press release. Police said Thorsen allegedly hit the e-bike with his Kia before driving over one of the teens, leaving the victim with a compound fracture to the leg.

After opening an investigation, authorities concluded that Thorsen “intentionally struck the bike with his vehicle, throwing both juveniles from the bike.” Police said Thorsen later admitted he intended to “knock some sense into the children.”

Officers arrested Thorsen on suspicion of vehicular assault.

Police also said one of the teen victims could face charges tied to the disturbance and property damage reported in the parking lot.

“[The victims] had allegedly been recklessly driving through the parking lot, harassing people, damaging property, and preventing a vehicle from leaving the area,” Vancouver police officials said.

“They’re always in the middle of the road doing wheelies,” said Maddison Barnhart, a manager at a nearby business. “Just all sorts of dumb stuff. And I figured it would happen at one point.”

In a separate incident just days later, police went to the home of one of the teens for a welfare check after he had reportedly missed nearly two weeks of school, according to KOIN.

When officers attempted to arrest the teen in connection with the Taco Bell incident, his mother allegedly sprayed an officer with a hose. Authorities later charged her with third-degree assault.