Actor Gary Coleman was in Payson’s Justice Court Tuesday to answer misdemeanor charges stemming from a September incident at a Payson bowling alley.

Coleman pleaded not guilty to a charge of reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor, and a disorderly conduct infraction.

“Yes, your honor, I am not guilty of any of those charges,” he said.

Coleman made his way to the courtroom after arriving at the courthouse an hour late to the waiting media throng. Coleman and his wife, Shannon Price, pushed through frenzied cameras and microphones, saying only, “No comment.”

“Can’t discuss it, sorry,” Coleman said. “Talk to my attorney.”

Coleman’s attorney, Randy Kester, told Judge David Dahlquist that there had been a miscommunication about the time of the court hearing, but his client will be on time for the next court hearing, a Dec. 2 pretrial conference.

“There’s some new witnesses that we need to visit with that weren’t on the police report,” Kester told reporters.

Coleman is accused of hitting Colt Rushton with his truck in September after an altercation over photos at a bowling alley. According to documents from Rushton’s personal injury case against Coleman, Rushton was bowling with friends Sept. 6 when he spotted Coleman and began taking pictures with his cell phone.

Rushton claims he continued bowling and was approached by Coleman’s bodyguard, who told him any further photos would cost him $20.

The court documents state Rushton and his friends later left the bowling alley and Rushton saw Coleman’s truck in the parking lot and decided to take a picture. As he took a picture, Rushton was attacked from behind and his cell phone was taken away.

“Shocked and surprised, Rushton requested the return of his cell phone from Price who had the phone,” court documents state. “As Rushton was conversing with Price, he was attacked without warning by Coleman who hit Rushton in the chest and other parts of his body several times.”

Coleman and his wife later allegedly got into the truck with Rushton’s cell phone. As Rushton went around the truck to the driver’s side door to ask for his phone, Coleman allegedly threw the truck into reverse, swerved and hit Rushton with the front fender of the truck, knocking him to the ground.

Rushton was taken to Mountain View Hospital in Payson for treatment and later released. Dustin Lance, Rushton’s attorney for the civil case, said his client is still suffering from his injuries and has accumulated more than $10,000 in medical bills.

“He’s got, of course, some soft tissue injuries, but the injury we’re concerned about is his knee,” he said.

Lance said Rushton did not realize Coleman was in the area when he decided to take a picture of the truck, and he did nothing wrong by taking the pictures. He did not take any more pictures of the actor when it was requested that he stop and he only wanted to take a picture of the truck.

“It’s a public area,” Lance said. “In a public area, you can take pictures of people and objects.”

Rushton did not attend the hearing Tuesday. He was booked into the Utah County Jail Oct. 8 to serve a 210-day term for a recent burglary conviction.

Kester said Coleman did nothing wrong that night and was only out for a night of bowling. Coleman had gone to the bowling alley late at night to avoid the public.

“He was just out for a quiet evening, and this is what happens, I guess,” Kester said.

Coleman never asked Rushton for money for photographs, but Rushton was told there are plenty of opportunities to obtain photos and he was invited to utilize such opportunities. Kester said Coleman waited 10 to 15 minutes to leave the bowling alley in order to avoid a confrontation, and his actions upon leaving were reasonable attempts to avoid his fan.

“Gary didn’t act any differently that evening than any of the rest of us would have,” he said.

Kester said he expects the charges will proceed to a jury trial, because he does not think Rushton and his attorney will give up. He said the case is an example taking advantage of a person’s celebrity status. Coleman and his wife stayed in the courtroom briefly after the hearing, only to be confronted by the media once again. Price attempted to shield Coleman from cameras, asking if there was any other way to exit the building. Rushing from the building and across the parking lot in a hooded jacket and sunglasses, Price repeatedly told reporters she had no comment and urged Coleman to keep quiet.

“Gary, don’t say anything,” she said.