Daytona Beach, FL - Daytona Beach Police (DBPD) say that 38-year-old Anthony Adum committed a deliberate, intentional act on March 21, when, as a witness in the vehicle said, he "smashed the gas" and intentionally hit 45-year-old Christopher Watson, who was sitting on the sidewalk on the southeast corner of the intersection at International Speedway Boulevard and Nova Road. Watson suffered severe injuries and was taken to the hospital as a trauma alert. He died of his injuries the next day.
The accident happened just after 9 p.m. The witness, who was the front seat passenger, told officers that he'd only met Adum a few hours before the accident. He said that Adum had been drinking and might have also been on drugs, as he began to drive differently prior to the accident. He was driving recklessly, over medians and running red lights.
The witness continued that Adum pulled into the parking lot at the Krispy Kreme, which is when a female passenger in the back seat got out because of the way he was driving. Just before the crash, Adum told the witness to "Get out. Get out. Get out." Adum bailed out of the car just before it hit Watson.
Surveillance video captured at the intersection corroborates the witness's account of what happened. It shows Adum's silver Hyundai entering the intersection with the driver's door open as he drives a circular route within the intersection, then drives away, returning 24 seconds later. The driver's door is open and the car travels directly towards the victim sitting on the sidewalk. The video shows Adum jumping from the moving car just before it hits the victim.
Adum faces multiple charges: First-Degree Murder, Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Serious Injuries, False Imprisonment, Resisting an Officer with Violence, and Reckless Driving. At this time, no motive has been determined.
