BALTIMORE — A man is dead after a hit-and-run in West Baltimore.
On January 4, an officer was on patrol in the 1200 block of West North Avenue when he was told that a man had been struck by a car.
Police say they found a 48-year-old man suffering from multiple abrasions to the head and body.
He was taken to a hospital where he remained in critical condition.
The man, later identified as Philip Jones, died three days later.
Suspect claims car was 'controlled by Satan' during fatal hit-and-run
Investigation determined that the incident was not accidental and that a homicide had occurred.
Ollice Weaver was heading to church across the street when he saw the scene.
"First thing I was thinking, I thought somebody got shot," Weaver told WMAR-2 News.
One neighbor said he was familiar with Jones and saw everything that happened.
"We speak all the time he used to come through here all the time," he said, "I came off the steps and I walked down here to throw the trash away, next thing I know he got hit."
Charging documents say the suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Michael Manigo, drove into a gas station in a KIA Sportage and started to drive slowly, following Jones.
As Jones left the gas station, Manigo quickly followed. He drove in the wrong lane of traffic then down a one way street to allegedly run Jones over.
Manigo then got out of the car and looked at Jones laying on the ground, charging documents say.
He was arrested in the 2300 block of Annapolis Road after police found the disabled KIA. Manigo was in the car at the time and initially told officers he was having car troubles before officers were able to link the car to the hit-and-run.
A neighbor, who declined to show her face or reveal her name, said she was alerted by the police sirens around 7 a.m. Sunday.
"After they put him on the bed, they took him and laid him on the board. I said, 'That poor man is dead.' I said, 'Oh my god that's sad."
Manigo told investigators he didn't know Jones but that his car was "bewitched" and "controlled by Satan."
He's been charged with attempted first-degree murder.
Upgraded charges for Mangio are pending.
Jones' death becomes the third homicide of the year.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Homicide detectives at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup.
