"Tent Dad" has history of child abuse (Muskegon, Michigan)

The case against dad DANIEL NICHOLS just gets more interesting all the time. First he said he accidently drove over the tent his family was sleeping in, seriously injuring his 5-year-old son. And then it appears that maybe it wasn't an accident. Then it appears that dad has a history of child abuse. Stay tuned.

http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2009/07/prosecutor_dad_in_hoffmaster_i.html

Prosecutor: Dad in Hoffmaster incident has history of child abuse
by Lynn Moore Muskegon Chronicle
Friday July 10, 2009, 12:07 PM
Kendra Stanley-Mills

NORTON SHORES -- The man who ran over his sleeping son at a Muskegon-area campground is wanted in Georgia on charges related to a felony child abuse conviction, according to local law enforcement officials.

Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague said his office is working with state Child Protective Services to investigate Daniel Nichols, 27, who early Wednesday morning ran over a tent at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in which his two young children and wife were sleeping.

His 5-year-old son was seriously injured. The boy's condition has been upgraded from serious to fair, according to a spokeswoman with DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids.

"We're focusing on the history of Nichols, and we understand there's an outstanding warrant out of Georgia," Tague said.

That arrest warrant is for a probation violation related to a felony conviction for child abuse, Tague said. He said his office is contacting Georgia officials to learn more about Nichols' background.

He said his investigators have learned Nichols was absent without leave from the U.S. Army at the time of the child abuse conviction, though he since has been discharged from the service.
Nichols served during the Iraq war and has been receiving assistance from the Muskegon County Department of Veterans Affairs.

"His record has not been without incident in the service," Tague said.

Nichols told police that he had gotten into the family's sport utility vehicle to warm it up because of the chilly morning air and apparently fell asleep. The vehicle, which has an automatic transmission, then somehow slipped into gear and rolled over the tent, causing head injuries to the boy who was airlifted to the Grand Rapids hospital.

Tague said investigators have ordered a full drug and alcohol blood screening of Nichols, results of which are expected next week, he said.

In addition, the vehicle will be inspected for any malfunctions, he said.

Nichols and his family have a history of homelessness, and spent about six months over two years at a local shelter for homeless veterans. They had been staying at Hoffmaster for about a week and a half.