BUTLER TWP — A township man is accused of using his sport utility vehicle several times to strike another SUV with four occupants — two of them young children.

The alleged assault by vehicle in August, authorities said, followed an argument between one of the victims and a passenger in the man’s vehicle outside a fast-food restaurant. No one was injured.

The victims’ vehicle, however, sustained nearly $9,000 in damage.

The defendant, Nathan C. Johns, 23, on Wednesday turned himself in to township police at the office of District Judge Kevin O’Donnell. He was arraigned on 13 criminal charges, including seven felonies.

Johns was later released on his own recognizance.

Police said a dispute over money owed for baby-sitting apparently started the incident about 4:30 p.m. Aug. 24, between a 23-year-old woman and Johns’ 22-year-old girlfriend at the Taco Bell at Moraine Pointe Plaza.

The 22-year-old was in the defendant’s 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe that he was driving, according to court documents.

The 23-year-old and her friend, a 37-year-old woman, later got into the older woman’s 2013 Buick Encore. Two children, ages 3 years old and 10 months old, were also in that vehicle.

About that time, police said, is when Johns drove his SUV behind the victims’ vehicle, allegedly blocking it from leaving.

“After multiple failed attempts to leave the parking lot,” documents said, the driver of the other vehicle managed to get away from Johns’ SUV and travel toward the plaza traffic way.

But the defendant followed in his vehicle and subsequently pulled in front of the victims’ SUV.

He is accused of hitting the other vehicle and preventing it from “driving straight,” according to a police report.

The defendant also backed up and into the victims’ vehicle, hitting the driver’s side. He struck the vehicle several times, police said, before the other driver was able to drive away.

The damage estimate for the Buick, police said, totaled $8,915. The Hyundai, they noted, sustained “moderate” damage.

O’Donnell arraigned Johns on four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of unlawful restraint of a minor, and criminal mischief, all felonies.

Additionally, he was arraigned on the following misdemeanors: four counts of reckless endangerment and two counts of unlawful restraint. Police also cited him for reckless driving.

Online court records did not indicate if Johns has an attorney and he could not be reached for comment.