An argument over parking in downtown Oak Harbor last July turned criminal when a driver allegedly struck a pedestrian on purpose, court documents state.

Prosecutors charged Sylvester Barron III, a 35-year-old Oak Harbor man, in Island County Superior Court Feb. 1 with assault in the second degree and perjury in the second degree. He pleaded not guilty Feb. 22.

Just before noon on July 4, Oak Harbor Police Officer Jon Valenzuela responded to a report of a car-versus-pedestrian accident on SE City Beach Street.

Valenzuela wrote that the 30-year-old victim explained that she got upset about how the driver of a white car, later identified as Barron, had parked. She didn’t like it that he had blocked in another car, even though he said he would be back shortly, the report states. The woman demanded that Barron park the way she wanted, but he ignored her.

Barron returned to his car after a few minutes and the woman confronted him again about his parking, the report states. They started yelling at each other. The woman walked up alongside his car and continued arguing with him.

According to the report, the woman claimed that Barron backed up his car and threatened to run her over. Barron then revved his engine, drove straight at her and struck her, the report states. The woman fell to the ground and Barron allegedly drove off.

The woman denied needing medical attention and she had no visible injuries, Valenzuela wrote.

Then in December, a woman not involved in the incident admitted to Oak Harbor Police Detective Carl Seim that she wrote out a false witness statement at Barron’s request, court documents show.