Battery charges filed against a man arrested for allegedly assaulting the son of former stock car racing champion Rusty Wallace in Broad Ripple.
Mark D. Tharpe (pictured, right), 25, was freed on $15,000 bond and is scheduled to appear for a court hearing on Aug. 7.
Steven Wallace, 19, who is driving in the NASCAR Busch series this year, finished 17th in the Kroger 200 on Saturday night at O’Reilly Raceway Park and is 16th in Busch series points. Wallace drives for his father, who was part of the ESPN broadcasting team for Sunday’s Allstate 400. According to a news release from his team, Wallace was jumped by at least three men as he left a store in Broad Ripple. Earlier, those men had commented on his watch, a gift from a sponsor for winning his second career pole in June.
After being unsuccessful in robbing Wallace, the men fled.
A police report said officers became aware of the assault when they were flagged down by Kyle Cook, one of Wallace’s friends, at 62nd Street and Guilford Avenue about midnight Monday. Cook said he had gotten a phone call from Wallace’s cell phone, and the caller claimed that he was going to beat Wallace unless Cook went to 52nd Street and Keystone Avenue.
Wallace had left Broad Ripple and gone to the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort and Inn, according to the police report. Officers said they spoke to Wallace by phone, and he said he had been hit and kicked in the face by a man at 62nd and Guilford.
Police went to 52nd and Keystone and found Tharpe in a parking lot. Wallace was taken by officers to that lot, identified Tharpe as the man who allegedly assaulted him, and Tharpe was arrested.
A .40-caliber Ruger handgun, ammunition and $3,947 in cash were found in Tharpe’s car, which was towed by police.
Police said that Tharpe was shot and wounded in the right leg at 21st Street and Mitthoefer Road on Jan. 9.
Call Star reporter Kevin O’Neal at (317) 444-276