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Man accused of driving into crowd before killing his mother told police he was ‘tired of fighting’ with her

Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes faces maximum penalty of death if convicted

Graeme Massie
Los Angeles
Monday 15 August 2022 08:10 BST
Related video: Police investigating after West Philadelphia car crash leave 2 dead

A Pennsylvania man accused of fatally driving his car into a crowd before killing his mother, allegedly told police that he was tired of fighting with her over money.

Two people died and 17 were injured when Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes careened his vehicle through a fundraising event for the families of 10 people who died in a house fire.

Mr Reyes, 24, is accused of leaving the first crime scene in Nescopeck, Pennsylvania, and then killing his mother with a hammer minutes later.

The woman has been identified in charging documents as Rosa D Reyes, according to The Daily Beast.

Mr Reyes was arrested at the scene and told police that he had hit his mother with his car before striking her in the head four or five times with the hammer, according to the charging documents.

After being taken into custody he allegedly told investigators that he had argued with his mother earlier on Saturday evening and was “extremely frustrated” as he drove his car.

He reportedly told law enforcement that as he drove past a bar he saw a group of people in the parking lot and circled back and plowed into them.

According to court records he was previously charged with assault and harassment over a December 2020 incident with his mother.

He now faces two counts of criminal homicide, according to authorities. He’s currently being held at the Columbia County Correctional Facility where bail has been denied and if convicted faces a maximum penalty of death.

Police say that Mr Reyes was not a suspect “at this time” in the 5 August house fire in Nescopeck that killed 10 people, according to The Times Leader.

Out of the 17 people injured in the crash in Berwick, 12 were taken to the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, three were taken to the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, one was transported to Berwick hospital, and one was taken to the Geisinger centre in Bloomsburg, according to The Times Leader.

In Danville on Saturday night, four people were in critical condition, three were in fair condition, and five were still undergoing evaluation, the paper reported. One of those taken to Wyoming Valley has been treated and released from care.

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