Delaware man sentenced to 6 years for hitting woman with car

MARYSVILLE, Ohio — A Delaware man will spend four to six years in prison for intentionally running a woman over outside a Marysville bar.

According to the Union County Prosecutor’s office, it happened at Stephan’s Lounge in May of 2021. Police were initially sent there on a report of a woman being struck by a car.

Witnesses told police that the incident started when Nick Burns, 26, of Delaware stopped his car, got out and started a fight with a woman. He was reportedly grabbing, pushing, and slapping the woman.

Another woman tried to stop the fight, telling Burns ‘not to treat a woman like that,’ according to prosecutors. Burns responded by swearing at her. He then turned his attention to her, pushing her onto the hood of his car and hitting her several times.

Burns got back into his car after other people stepped in to stop the assault, according to prosecutors.

The second woman then extended her middle finger at Burns. Burns responded by driving onto the sidewalk and running over her ankle. Prosecutors say he then backed his car off the sidewalk, running over her ankle again. She was taken by helicopter to Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center for treatment Prosecutors said her foot nearly had to be amputated.

Burns was indicted by the Union County Grand Jury for felonious assault and leaving the scene of an accident.

A sentencing memorandum filed by Burns’ attorney claimed Burns was suffering from a panic attack and has no recollection of the incident.

Burns’ attorney requested psychological examinations to determine his competency to stand trial and his sanity. Burns eventually pleaded guilty to felonious assault and leaving the scene.

According to court records, the plea agreement originally called for Burns to avoid prison time. Prosecutors later backed out of that agreement, based on phone calls Burns made while in the Tri-County jail.

On January 10, the court sentenced Burns to a prison term of 4 to 6 years for the felony assault and a term of 180 days in jail for leaving the scene.