Fatal hit-and-run suspect accused in a number of crimes before crash
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The man accused of fatally hitting a bicyclist and speeding off appeared in court Friday morning.
Police said the crash was just one of many crimes 23-year-old Christopher Spells committed.
It happened on Monday evening on the 8600 block of Pendleton Pike. Spells faces seven charges in connection with the case including causing death while operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and resisting law enforcement.
Spells is accused of a number of crimes. It started at Kroger on Pendleton Pike near Sunnyside Road.
According to court documents, inside the store Spells attacked his girlfriend because she was disrespecting him.
In plain view of a worker, Spells allegedly grabbed her, banged her head on a rack and punched her multiple times in the face before biting her.
She was left bruised, bloodied and with bite marks on her cheek. The worker called for security, but before he could be stopped, police say Spells took off leaving his girlfriend at the store.
The probable cause affidavit says Spells sped off, heading west on Pendleton Pike dodging other vehicles at a high rate of speed.
54-year old Mervin Smith was on his bicycle and was also in his path. One witness tried honking to alert Smith of the car charging through. At least six witnesses told authorities they saw Spells crash into Smith, but he kept on driving.
“All of the sudden we just saw something fly out in the air. We weren’t sure what it was, until I realized it was a man,” said Brianna Sutton.
Smith’s injuries are too graphic to detail, but the court documents say Spells told authorities that he felt something hit the car and saw the windshield cave in, so he stopped, but then kept going because he didn’t see anything.
Surveillance video captured by an area business shows people running to Smith’s aid.
“I ran outside to hope to provide aid to the gentleman. But, by the time I got out there and saw him, I was the first one to look at him, he was already passed,” said Daniel Coyne.
Not far away, on 46th and Franklin, police say Spells collided again. This time with a truck. He told authorities that he stopped, and asked the couple if they were ok. Then, attempted to walk away. It didn’t take long for police to catch him.
“We were there very quickly after that crash. We were responding to all these incidents and we’re responding to Kroger, to the fatality and then to the second crash,” said Captain Gary Woodruff of the Lawrence Police Department.
The affidavit says Spells has not ever had a valid drivers license and that he was driving a car that was reported stolen on New Years Eve. Spells told police that he had been drinking vodka earlier that day.
