A woman was arrested Thursday after driving onto a sidewalk and striking her boyfriend with her car while he was riding a bicycle.

At about 5 p.m., Officer Joshua James of the Bloomington Police Department was on patrol around 10th Street and John Hinkle Place when he was flagged down by a state excise officer.

The officer told James of a possible car accident, BPD Lt. David Drake said.

When James arrived on the scene, however, he realized the situation was actually a domestic disturbance.

Robert S. Hoyer, 47, told police he was riding a bicycle, traveling eastbound on 10th Street, when his girlfriend, April D. Lepine, 46, began following him in a 1994 Pontiac Grand Am and yelling obscenities.

Lepine then allegedly drove up onto the sidewalk and struck Hoyer, causing him to fall off his bike and into the grass.

Hoyer was not injured from the fall, but he told police Lepine had punched him the face earlier in the evening. Hoyer said the incident occurred when he tried to leaving Lepine’s residence, after helping her move.

Hoyer told police that Lepine instructed him to stay, and then punched him in the face.
Lepine told police a different story, stating that Hoyer had come home angry and grabbed her neck, leaving a visibly red mark and causing her pain.

The dispute then hit the streets, resulting in the incident seen by the excise officer, as well as other witnesses.

Both Hoyer and Lepine were arrested.

Hoyer was charged with domestic battery, a Class D felony.

Lepine was also charged domestic battery, as well as criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of an accident — both Class A misdemeanors.