A 27-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder after a man who was hit by a vehicle in southwest Edmonton died earlier this month.
In a news release issued Friday, police said officers responded to a reported assault in the area of 119A Street and Rutherford Road at 2:16 a.m. on March 15.
“It was reported that an altercation occurred in the street between two males, during which one of the males got into a vehicle, struck the other male and drove away,” police said.
When they arrived, police said officers found an injured man on the road and he was taken to hospital by paramedics where he died four days later.
Police have identified the victim as 31-year-old Brad Coates. They said an autopsy determined he died of blunt-force trauma.
On Thursday, Kevin Christian Ewen was arrested in connection with the incident.
In addition to the first-degree murder charge, he is also charged with dangerous operation causing death and failing to remain (at the scene) knowing death was caused.
Police told Global News that the victim and the accused were known to one another.
Darnell McCurdy lives near where the violent incident unfolded and said he was woken up that night by the sound of squealing tires and what he described as a fistfight.
“When I came out, there were already a couple of neighbours who were attending to a young fellow… who appeared to have been hit by a car,” he said. “It’s tough to see anyone hurt… I’m not sure why there was a dispute and why it ended that way.
“He was in pretty tough condition.”
Kim Lapointe also lives nearby and told Global News that she and her husband also heard two men fighting outside while they were trying to sleep.
“It was very loud. They were screaming in the street,” she said. “My husband looked out the window and he witnessed a gentleman being hit by a car.
Lapointe said she and her husband went outside to help.
“It was a pretty awful thing to find at 2 a.m. in the morning,” she said. “It made me feel very uneasy.
“You can’t unsee anything like that.”
While indicating the incident was traumatic, Lapointe said she was heartened by how people in the neighbourhood quickly rushed to help the victim as best they could until emergency responders arrived.
“Our neighbourhood really responded well and that gives me peace of mind,” she said. “Everybody’s watching out for each other.”
Coates’ sister provided a statement to Global News on Friday night in which she said the news of what allegedly happened to her brother is “all very surreal.”
“I really can’t explain the pain we are all feeling right now,” Deanne Bishop said. “Bradley was such a kind, giving person with so many hopes and dreams. We really can’t understand why or how someone could be so cruel. We miss him so much.
“We have a huge family and are very close. Nothing will ever be the same without him.”
Bishop described her brother as funny and loving and said he loved children and that she thinks he would have been a great father. She added that the family is grateful for the thoughts and prayers from people in the wake of his death.
“It is very comforting to know that we are in the thoughts of so many people,” she said.
Bishop said Coates was planning to move to Newfoundland in April.
View photos of Coates below: