A retired parks and recreation professional has been named as the Oswegoland Park District’s interim executive director after former executive director Tom Betsinger was charged on July 13 with allegedly attempting to run over a person with his pickup truck in Yorkville and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Jim Reuter, who most recently served as the executive director of the Carol Stream Park District for nine years, was just named as the Oswegoland Park District’s interim executive director. The Park District made the announcement Monday.

Betsinger resigned from his position after being charged. The Park District announced his resignation on July 25.

Reuter will remain in the role until the search concludes and a permanent executive director is appointed.

The person who Betsinger allegedly attempted to run over while driving under the influence of alcohol has told Yorkville police that he did not know Betsinger.

“We have no evidence to suggest Betsinger and the victim had any prior relationship or knowledge of one another,” Yorkville Police Deputy Chief Garrett Carlyle said in an email. “The victim claimed he had never met nor interacted with Betsinger prior to the incident. Betsinger chose to exercise his right not to speak with investigators.”

A motive is not known and the victim was not injured, he said.

Betsinger, 50, of Montgomery, faces several charges, including aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, attempted reckless homicide and driving under the influence of alcohol. Yorkville police responded about 8:40 p.m. July 13 to a business on the 1500 block of Corneils Road.

A witness reported a black Toyota pickup truck crashing into multiple vehicles in what appeared to be an attempt to strike another person, police said in a news release.

A pretrial hearing for Betsinger is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 24.

Betsinger became the park district’s executive director in December 2023 after Rich Zielke retired from the position after 17 years with the district and 30 years in the parks and recreation field.

He began with the Oswegoland Park District in 1997 as a recreation supervisor overseeing athletics and special events. He was promoted to the position of recreation superintendent in 2008 and then recreation director in 2018.

Betsinger also is a former Montgomery Village Board trustee.