A man from the US state of Iowa has been accused of driving his vehicle through a group of abortion rights protesters in Cedar Rapids in June, and striking a woman before driving away, court documents on Wednesday showed.
David Alan Huston faces the criminal charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, according to the court documents.
There is no evidence to indicate the crash was politically motivated, Black Hawk County Attorney Brian Williams said.
Mr Williams said there was also no evidence that any of the protesters acted aggressively.
Mr Huston did not immediately return messages on Wednesday seeking comment on the charges, and online court records did not yet list a lawyer for him.
A group organised by Indivisible Iowa and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa was protesting in front of the federal courthouse in Cedar Rapids to support access to abortion.
That was after the US Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v Wade decision that made abortion legal nationwide.
Iowa law bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The state Supreme Court in June cleared the way for stricter limits when it reversed an earlier court decision that found the Iowa constitution guaranteed the right to abortion.
The Republican Governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds, has promised to work through the courts to revive a six-week ban that was earlier blocked.
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A person holds a sign reading "Women Will Die" as activists gather at the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC. AFP -
An anti-abortion protester speaks outside the US Supreme Court after the leak of a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito preparing for the court to overturn the Roe v Wade abortion rights decision later this year. Reuters -
A protester holds a sign for the pro-choice Planned Parenthood organisation. AFP -
The Roe v Wade decision recognised that the right to personal privacy under the US Constitution protects a woman's ability to terminate her pregnancy. Getty Images -
A demonstrator outside the court. AFP -
A woman cries during the protests. AFP -
Demonstrators place candles outside the court. AFP -
Protesters chant slogans. Reuters -
Police installed metal barricades to prevent protesters from entering the court building. AFP -
Demonstrators use candlelight during the evening protest. AFP -
US Senator Elizabeth Warren joined abortion rights activists outside the US Supreme Court on Tuesday. Photo: Public Domain
Video of the June 24 crash shows protesters were crossing a street when a large pickup truck drove through the group, even as other vehicles waited for them to cross, Mr Williams said.
Protesters tried to to stop the pickup by blocking its path, resulting in one woman being struck. Court documents do not indicate the extent of her injuries.
Mr Huston “then left the scene without any attempt to exchange information", court documents say.
The crash happened in Linn County, but prosecutors asked a judge to shift the case to Black Hawk County because of a potential conflict of interest.
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