A Bowling Green man accused of stealing from Dollar General and hitting an employee with his car while getting away was arrested Thursday.

Stephen G. Sims, 60, was arrested by the Bowling Green Police Department on a charge of first-degree robbery.

According to an arrest citation, police were called to the Dollar General, 325 E. Sixth Ave., on a report that a man stole merchandise from the store.

An employee reported that the man, later identified as Sims, was seen taking four, 24-ounce cans of beer, a bottle of mustard and another unknown item from the store.

When the employee attempted to stop the theft, the man got into his car. The employee took a picture of the car’s license plate, at which point the man backed out of the parking lot and struck her, causing pain to her right leg and right chest, according to an arrest citation.

A second employee witnessed the incident, and reported that the suspect almost hit her with his vehicle as well.

The license plate was found to belong to a 2002 Buick registered to Sims, and police found the vehicle in the 400 block of Church Street.

Police made contact with Sims there.

“Sims admitted to shoplifting from Dollar General, advising that he was hungry and needed food,” Sims’ arrest citation said. “Sims denied hitting anyone with his vehicle or almost hitting anyone with his vehicle … when asked why he didn’t stop when the employee requested him to, he stated that there’s only so much the employee could do.”

Sims was booked into Warren County Regional Jail, where no bond has been set.