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DelCo Driver Beats Pedestrian's Body In Roadway After Killing Him: Police

A Delaware County man was arrested Wednesday for beating a pedestrian after fatally striking him with his car and threatening to kill him, authorities said.

Jonathan Autery

Jonathan Autery

Photo Credit: City of Chester Police Department

Jonathan Lee Autery, 46, of Chester, was charged with criminal homicide, first and third-degree murder, aggravated assault, homicide by vehicle, and possessing an instrument of crime, according to public court records.

Officers were called to the 2600 block of Price Street on a report of a crash with injuries, where they found a heavily damaged Mazda 5 on the sidewalk and a man lying on the ground just before 11 a.m. Tuesday, Chester City police said.

The man was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He was identified as Martin Vera Felix.

Police later obtained surveillance video showing Felix walking north on Culhane Street when he was struck from behind by Autery's speeding Mazda 5, authorities said.

The minivan then veers off the road after striking Felix and crashes into a house on Price Street, police said.

The video then shows Autery getting out of the car and repeatedly striking Felix with a broken piece of a fence pole, authorities said.

As Autery was beating Felix, witnesses said they heard him repeatedly yell, "I'm going to kill you," according to police.

Witnesses reported hearing Autery continuously yell, "I told you I was going to kill you" after the assault, police said.

Autery apparently attempted to flee the scene in his car, but it was too damaged in the crash, police noted.

Autery was arraigned and sent to Delaware County Prison with bail denied.

His preliminary hearing date was set for Feb. 16.

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