Douglas Walker

dwalker@muncie.gannett.com

HARTFORD CITY, Ind. – Authorities say a Hartford City man who told police he had a demon within him intentionally slammed his car into a local business, causing more than $130,000 in damage.

Gary D. Mort, 55, of the 1000 block of East Franklin Street, was charged recently with criminal mischief in the January incident that damaged Four Seasons Sales and Service, 1610 N. Walnut St.

Criminal mischief is most frequently charged as a misdemeanor, but is upgraded to a Level 6 felony, carrying up to 30 months in prison, when more than $50,000 worth of damage is involved.

A Hartford City police officer reported he found Mort in his vehicle – which had crashed into the lawn mower business through its south wall – about 7:50 p.m. on Jan. 23.

When the officer entered the business, the car’s engine was still running.

“I did it on purpose,” Mort reportedly told the patrolman, adding that he was trying to harm himself in a bid to rid his body of a demon he referred to as “Satan’s King.”

The Hartford City man said he had been plagued by the demon – which he for a time had referred to as “Roscoe” – for three years, and had tried but failed to arrange for a priest to perform an exorcism.

Mort said he had left his road and went “joy riding” that evening because the demon had been “telling him he needed to kill (a family member) and their dogs,” the officer wrote.

He said he hoped if he killed himself by crashing into the building, the demon might spare “the rest of them.”

Other drivers that evening told police they saw Mort driving recklessly, and thought he might have been trying to cause a head-on crash. He denied that suggestion.

Mort – who said he hadn’t discussed the demon with a mental health professional – was taken to a mental health facility after being examined at IU Health Blackford Hospital.

He is set to stand trial June 21 in Blackford Superior Court.

A police report reflected the crash did nearly $52,0000 in damage to the Four Seasons building, and also did more than $80,000 damage to mowers and other items.

Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. Follow him on Twitter: @DouglasWalkerSP.