Arkansas man pleads not guilty to charges he hit joggers on purpose

An Arkansas man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that he stole a car and then intentionally drove it into a group of joggers in downtown Cape Girardeau last fall.

Vincent T. Anderson, a 19-year-old from Little Rock, Ark., pleaded not guilty in front of Judge William Syler. The judge, without explanation, then recused himself from the case before it was given to Judge Benjamin Lewis. Anderson will be in front of Lewis on Monday.

Anderson is charged with first-degree felony charges of assault and vehicle tampering, which could send him to prison for up to 22 years if convicted.

Marcus Jones

Co-defendant Marcus E. Jones of Cotton Plant, Ark., was sentenced last month to 90 days in the county jail for his role in the incident. Jones pleaded guilty before Judge Gary Kamp to misdemeanor vehicle tampering Oct. 29 and was found guilty of resisting arrest by Kamp during a Nov. 21 bench trial.

Anderson faces the more serious charges because police say he was the driver. The joggers told police that it looked as if the vehicle hit them intentionally because it veered off its course before the collision.

Pertinent address:

100 Court St., Jackson, Mo.