A 28-year-old man who reportedly admitted to using his vehicle to fatally strike a man he told investigators was shooting at him with a BB gun in late March was indicted Tuesday by a Lubbock County Grand jury.
Daniel King is charged with a second-degree felony count of failure to stop and render aid involving a death, which carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison.
His charge stems from a Lubbock Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit investigation that began on March 20, after patrol officers responding to a 3:40 a.m. call about a dead body in the 3000 block of 98th Street found 51-year-old Shawn Bowen in a “kneeling-like” position outside his home. A wallet and BB gun were balanced on his back, according to a probable cause affidavit filed with his arrest warrant.
He was taken to University Medical Center where he died, according to a police news release.
Responding officers initially believe Bowen suffered a gunshot wound to the head, according to a probable cause affidavit. However, further investigation and an autopsy indicated that Bowen’s injuries stemmed from being hit by a vehicle.
Investigators found fresh tire marks on the driveway that stretched to 98th Street that also appeared marred with acceleration marks, the affidavit states.
Two witnesses at the scene told investigators they saw a vehicle pull into Bowen’s driveway multiple times earlier that night. They said the driver would honk the vehicle’s horn and then leave without exiting the vehicle.
Meanwhile, King reportedly went to Lubbock police headquarters to speak with detectives about his involvement in Bowen’s death.
During the interview, King reportedly told investigators that Bowen mistakenly sent him money through a financial app weeks before and he traveled to Bowen’s home to return the money.
He said he arrived at Bowen’s home in a Lincoln MKZ, honked his horn but Bowen never appeared and he left, the affidavit states.
King reportedly told investigators that he did this two more times that night.
On his third try, King reportedly said Bowen stepped in front of his vehicle pointing a black pistol at him.
King said he reversed his vehicle towards 98th Street as Bowen reportedly shot at him. King said he ducked his head, shifted his vehicle to drive and accelerated, the affidavit states.
King reportedly told investigators that he kept his head down as he drove forward and described hearing two bumps.
He said he stopped his vehicle and saw Bowen near the street at the beginning of the driveway.
He said Bowen got up and headed toward the grass, where he fell. King said he reportedly picked up Bowen’s pistol and realized it was a BB gun, threw it, yelled at Bowen and drove away, the affidavit states.
However, King said he returned about two hours later to see if Bowen got help. He said he approached Bowen, who was in a kneeling position in another part of the yard and tapped the back of his head to “see if he was faking it.”
King said he realized Bowen was dead when he didn’t respond and placed the BB gun and the wallet on his back before leaving again, the affidavit states.
King reportedly admitted that he did not call the police or provide Bowen any aid, telling investigators that “he knew he was in the wrong for leaving and that he should have called,” the affidavit states.
Investigators obtained a warrant for King’s arrest on March 26 and he was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center where he remains. His bail is set at $100,000.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Grand jury indicts driver in deadly south Lubbock hit-and-run crash
Reporting by Gabriel Monte, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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