73-Year-Old North Carolina Pedestrian Fatally Assaulted by Man After Hood Tapping Incident in Crosswalk: Police

A North Carolina man has been charged with murder after authorities say he pushed a 73-year-old man who had tapped on the hood of his car, causing the man to fall and suffer a fatal head injury.

On Feb. 29, Gregory William Martin was walking through a crosswalk in Asheville when he tapped on the hood of a car as he went by, according to the Asheville Police Department.

Police released a video of the incident, which showed a vehicle stopped at a light within the crosswalk about to make a right turn.

Martin then walks by and pats the hood. He keeps walking, but then turns around where he appears to have words with the driver.

He continues to walk, but then 24-year-old Tyler Coenraads, a passenger in the vehicle, jumps out of the car and runs around the car and up to Martin.

During that altercation, Coenraads pushed Martin in the back, causing him to fall and hit his head, officials said. Coenraads then ran back to the vehicle and the driver fled the scene.

Martin suffered severe head trauma and he was rushed to the hospital by paramedics.

Authorities were able to identify Coenraads from the video and he was arrested on March 8 and charged with assault and inflicting serious bodily injury.

On March 12, Martin died from his injuries and prosecutors upgraded the charges to murder, officials said.

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On April 8, Coenraads turned himself in to the Asheville Police Department and was officially charged with second-degree murder.

He was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility and was being held without bond. His next court date is scheduled for April 24.