Crowd Chases Down, Beats Motorist Who Hit Boy
Police Say More Than 12 Men Involved
POSTED: 6:47 p.m. EDT July 13, 2003
UPDATED: 6:58 p.m. EDT July 13, 2003
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A motorist who allegedly hit and killed a 3-year-old boy was dragged from his car and beaten by a group of men who saw the crash, sheriff's officials said.
Honorio Martinez, 37, was charged with felony driving without a license that resulted in the death Saturday of Armant Williams, Palm Beach County Sheriff's officials said.
The boy had been standing on the side on a rural West Palm Beach road with one of his cousins. He darted into traffic and was hit by Martinez's car about 12:40 p.m. Saturday, sheriff's spokesman Paul Miller said.
More than a dozen men, friends of the boy's father, saw the crash and stopped the car about a half-block away, Miller said.
The men dragged Martinez, 37, out of the driver's seat and punched him in the head several times, Miller said.
After the beating, Martinez walked back to see how the child was doing, then said he was going to leave because he didn't have a driver's license, Miller said.
The group of men pounced on him again, Miller said. The crowd scattered as deputies arrived.
The boy was taken to Palms West Hospital, where he died. Martinez was treated and released from the Wellington Regional Medical Center.
Martinez was being held at Palm Beach County jail on $50,000 bond, jail officials said.
Martinez did not have immigration documents, so the U.S. Border Patrol ordered that he remain jailed even if he posts bail, Miller said.
Miller said Sunday investigators were still attempting to clarify conflicting reports from eyewitnesses. He said Martinez may face more charges.
A lawyer from the Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office was assigned to defend Martinez, officials said. No one answered a phone there Sunday.
