A man accused of running another man over with a pick-up truck this week in Chicago told authorities he did it over an argument about $100, prosecutors said Thursday.
Keith Watley, 29, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of 22-year-old Carlos Posadas in the parking lot of an AutoZone in the city's West Chatham neighborhood.
Prosecutors said Watley, who had previously done mechanic work on the same cars with Posadas, got into a verbal altercation Sunday that turned physical about money Posadas said Watley owed him from a mechanics job.
Around 3 p.m. Monday, Watley and Posadas were at the parking lot of the AutoZone in the 200 block of West 87th Street working on separate cars.
Posadas was working on a customer's Honda Accord when Watley allegedly got into his 1999 full-size Ford pickup and was seen on surveillance footage driving the vehicle in the parking lot for several feet.
Prosecutors said video then showed Watley turning his truck in the direction of Posadas, who was kneeling down at the wheel well of the Honda Accord with his back to the truck.
"He stops momentarily and then accelerates towards the victim," prosecutors said in court.
Watley "speeds straight towards" Posadas "without braking or serving" and pins him between the front end fo the truck and the passenger side of the Honda Accord, according to prosecutors.
"[Watley] did not brake after striking the victim," a proffer from court read. "After striking the victim Keith Watley then drove his full size pickup truck over Carlos Posadas causing additional severe injuries."
Posadas was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office ruled the cause of death as multiple injuries due to a truck striking a pedestrian. His death was ruled a homicide.
Authorities said Watley fled the scene at a high rate of speed as witnesses to the crash followed. He allegedly drove to a nearby parking lot and ran into an O'Reilly Auto Parts store where he hid in the back.
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After his arrest, prosecutors said Watley told police "the argument with the victim was over $100 and that he kind of snapped." He allegedly said he planned to hurt the victim.
Watley was ordered held without bond Thursday. He was represented by a public defender in court.
