King Driver Indicted

12/29/1998 at 12:00 AM EST

The driver who hit horror writer Stephen King was indicted by an Oxford County (Maine) grand jury Thursday on charges of aggravated assault and driving to endanger. Bryan E. Smith, 42, "did recklessly cause serious bodily injury to Stephen King" as the author was walking along a country road June 19 in Lovell, the jury said. Aggravated assault carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The other charge could bring Smith up to six months in prison. King was thrown 14 feet and suffered multiple broken bones and a collapsed lung when struck head-on by Smith's van. He is recovering at his Bangor home.