A 50-year-old Florida man faces a murder charge after detectives say he intentionally ran over a woman with his vehicle and killed her.
According to deputies, Donald Lee Whitaker of Naples, is in the Collier County jail charged with second-degree murder.
Whitaker and the victim knew each other, arrest reports said.
“This individual is in our custody, thanks to the swift response by deputies and a Good Samaritan who stopped to help and contacted law enforcement,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said.
Deputies responded to a report of a possible domestic disturbance involving a woman who had been run over by a vehicle in the 1100 block of Dove Tree Street in Golden Gate Estates around 8:40 p.m. Monday.
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When deputies arrived at the scene the driver of a blue minivan, later identified as Whitaker, was outside the vehicle holding the victim.
Deputies performed CPR on the victim until paramedics arrived. The victim was transported to Naples Community Hospital North East with critical injuries. She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
A witness told detectives that she was on her way to a friend’s house in the area. As she turned onto Dove Tree Street she saw a woman on the ground on the side of the road and a blue minivan a short distance away.
The witness said she got out of her vehicle and asked the woman, who was sobbing, if she needed help.
The woman said no, according to investigators.
The witness told detectives the minivan “seemed like it was stalking the woman,” so she contacted authorities, reports said.
As the woman called 911, the minivan accelerated directly toward the victim and drove over her, reports said.
The witness said Whitaker got out of the minivan and tried to pick up the victim and carry her to his vehicle, but the victim told him to stop moving her because she was hurt. Whitaker then tried to perform CPR on the victim.
Detectives interviewed Whitaker and placed him under arrest.
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