Man who crushed car pays for replacement

PUNTA GORDA, Fla., Feb. 29 (UPI) -- The Florida man who crushed a teenager's car in the parking lot of an off-road park said he wrote a $6,500 check to get the girl a new vehicle.

Norman Nowling, who was charged with felony criminal mischief after he used his "monster van" with 5-foot tires to crush the Toyota Corolla Saturday at Charlotte County's Redneck Yacht Club, said he gave the check to Amanda Kent's stepfather Tuesday to cover the costs of buying a new vehicle, WBBH-TV, Fort Myers, Fla., reported Wednesday.

Nowling said he was encouraged to crush the car by an assembled crowd and two other drivers attempted and failed to drive over the Toyota before he succeeded. He said he was unfairly singled out by security at the park.