BRIMFIELD, Ohio -- When police asked a Kent man why he drove into his ex-wife's house Thursday evening, he had a simple answer: "I can't kill her unless I drive into the house."

Brimfield Police Chief David Blough said Marlan Raymond drove his Toyota minivan into the house in the 3700 block of Neville Drive about 7 p.m., jamming it into the front door. He was arrested a short time later after a series of smaller accidents ended with his van crashed into a fence.

"Marlan drove up to the house, revved his engine and drove up onto the porch, aiming squarely at the front door," Blough said. "He knocked down much of the front porch and it was a porch beam that stopped him from busting into the house. He hit and damaged the front door."

Earlier version of story

Police said after the crash, he ran into the house looking for his wife, but left when she started to scream for help.

Police said Raymond drove into the parking lot of Brimfield Plaza, along the way striking four mailboxes on Tallmadge Road, a parked truck in the shopping center and coming to rest after striking a fence on Kelso Drive, police said.

Raymond was being held at the Portage County Jail.

"Marlan has a history of problems," Blough said. "In Kent, he's known as the 'Tree Man' because he climbs into trees that are going to be cut down and stays there until he is removed. I told him we would get him some help, but first he had to go to jail."

Blough said he asked Raymond why he rammed his van into his ex-wife's house.

"He looked at me and he said, 'Chief, she makes me crazy.'"