A grand jury has added an attempted murder charge for the 19-year-old man accused of intentionally hitting another man with his car following a flag football game argument.
His bond was set at $30,000.
Timothy Ruble was originally charged with assault, tampering with evidence and felonious assault.
What happened
Officers were called to Brookside Reservation in Cleveland on Sunday, May 3, after reports of a pedestrian being struck. When they arrived, they found a man unconscious on the ground. The victim, Brian Williams, was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
RELATED: Man in critical condition after driver allegedly struck him after flag football argument
Witnesses say the day began as a typical Sunday, with a group of friends — including Williams, Kenneth Whitting and John Wright — enjoying their usual roles as referees in adult flag football games. Things took a turn when a player became upset over a call.
After the game ended, they thought tensions had cooled, but Whitting said the same player threatened him.
"He was just like, 'You know what? I got $1,000 for somebody to come down and do something to you at the field,'” said Whitting.
According to court records, Ruble later drove into the park and confronted a group of referees who had been involved in the earlier dispute with his father moments earlier.
Court documents allege Ruble drove off the road, jumped the curb, and intentionally struck Williams before fleeing.
"All of a sudden, he got in his car and just went after Brian on the grass,” said Whitting.
Police say Ruble left the scene and hid his car behind his father’s nearby business.
He was later arrested.
