Kristin Nichols (OTCDF)
Fergus Falls, MN – A Fergus Falls woman has been sentenced after allegedly hitting a pedestrian with a car door in September of 2023
According to court documents, the Fergus Falls Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian being hit with a car on the corner of Vernon and Sheridan. Witnesses told officers that a dark vehicle had pulled up to the stop sign on the corner and the occupants began yelling at the victim. When the victim attempted to cross the street, the vehicle accelerated and swerved toward him and the passenger door swung open and knocked the victim to the ground.
When the officers spoke to the victim, he indicated that he had recognized the passenger as 43-year-old Kristin Evonne Nichols of Fergus Falls. He also said that he had attempted to make a video recording of the interaction right before being struck. According to the officer on the scene, the video briefly shows the dark vehicle accelerating towards the victim and the door swings open before the camera points up and the recording stops.
Police officers located the registered owner of the vehicle and made contact with her and Nichols. Nichols initially denied having any knowledge of the accident, but then started talking about the victim and their recent arguments. Officers informed her that there was video of the accident and she stated that she was a passenger in the car when they saw the victim, and she told the driver to driver towards him. Once close to the victim, Nichols stated that she opened the door to hit him while they drove by.
Nichols was placed under arrest for 2nd Degree Assault, and allegedly made statements that she had assaulted the victim and she would assault him again and the assaults would continue. When officers spoke with the driver, she said that Nichols had told her to drive straight, and denied having knowledge that Nichols would hit the victim.
In July, Otter Tail County prosecutors made a plea agreement with Nichols where the assault charge would be dismissed if she plead guilty to a charge of Threats of Violence, which she accepted. In court on Monday (September 16th), Nichols was sentenced to four months at the Otter Tail County Detention Facility and 1 year at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee stayed for 5 years.