A local doctor is accused of driving through a group of protesters blocking a bridge in Mishawaka.
A local doctor is accused of driving through a group of protesters blocking a bridge in Mishawaka.

Glenn Wheet told police that he intended to ask protesters to let him through, but they surrounded his car before he could.

The road was completely blocked by people. I told them I had a right to use this road. Wheet says in the police body camera video that they were pounding on his car before he could say anything.

Wheet was on trial for a criminal offense. The prosecution and defense continued to argue about whether he was justified in driving through the protesters. Both parties will give their final arguments to the jury on Thursday.

Hundreds of people turn out for a protest.

Wheet could face up to 2 years in prison and lose his medical license if he is convicted.

Wheet took the stand and said that he felt attacked by protesters when he drove over a line.

Wheet said he saw people blocking the road, drove away, and then tried to reason with the group to allow him to cross the bridge.

He turned left off of Front Street and was surrounded by protesters who were trying to get into his car.

Wheet didn't want to reverse because he was afraid of hitting some children at the protest. He felt his only option was to slowly move forward and hope protesters would leave the way.

Glenn Wheet

Wheet said that he was doing his best to avoid anyone being hurt.

Wheet was questioned by the deputy prosecuting attorney about why he didn't call police or look for an alternative route after he realized the bridge was blocked.

Several people who were at the protest heard Wheet's testimony. The group had planned to march from Battell Park to the police station, but they changed their plans when they saw traffic cones on the Main Street bridge.

Wheet was described as "inching" through the crowd before speeding up the bridge by others.

Some protesters began banging on Wheet's car after it crossed the first line of cones on the south side of the bridge and neared a crowd of demonstrators.

Davis said he hit the car because he thought there were people on crutches and children in the crowd. Wheet accelerated away as Davis grabbed the passenger's side mirror and dragged him along the road.

Patrick Curran testified that he tried to push the car backwards because he was like a lineman in football.

I was thinking about the kids and the people in the protest behind me.

If I was the driver in the same situation, I would be frightened.

Wheet was targeting a Black speaker at the front of the crowd when he came to the bridge according to Miah Thorton, one of the event's organizers.

I felt like it was racially motivated that he saw a black man and wanted to hit him with his vehicle.

Wheet's political beliefs were not brought up during his testimony.

Wheet's attorney asked the protesters about the presence of anti- police signs and a man with a rifle at the rally. Most of the protesters were aware of the anti- police signs, but weren't personally protesting.

Video evidence in the case showed demonstrators shouting and rushing toward a car that drove over a traffic cone and into the crowd. Some people in the crowd start hitting the car, while others are standing in front of it or pushing it back.

The police chief and lieutenant testified about the response to the rally.

Due to the size of the crowd and their intentions to take over the Main Street bridge, Witkowski made a last-ditch attempt to block off the bridge.

Wheet was the only one who tried to drive through the traffic cones and onto the bridge.

It was a success except for one incident.

Williams said he understood the law that demonstrators in the street did not give motorists the right to drive into them. A person who is surrounded by people threatening their safety has the right to try to get out of the situation.

During his examination of Witkowski and Williams, he questioned why police did not take additional action to signal that the bridge was closed.

Davis brought a civil suit against Wheet that sought compensation for injuries sustained during the incident. The terms of the settlement were not made public.

Send an email to Marek Mazurek. Follow him on social media.

Body cam footage was shown in the Glenn Wheet trial.

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