WHITEHALL TWP. — A 55-year-old Whitehall man intentionally plowed into a group of people in an apartment complex parking lot Friday night, then walked away before bystanders recording with their cellphones directed police to him, authorities said.
One man was killed and a woman was seriously hurt.
Arrested was Rajgion Davis, of Whitehall. He is charged with criminal homicide, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault.
Killed was Stephen S. Fistner, 53, of Whitehall Township.
He and his wife Yessenia Fistner were walking their dog when they stopped in the parking lot to assist Francesa Washington, whose unoccupied Toyota RAV-4 had been rammed a short while earlier by Davis as he drove a gray sedan, witnesses told police.
As the three stood in the lot, Davis reappeared in the car and drove directly at them, according to a news release from the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.
Stephen Fistner pushed his wife out of the way before Davis’ car collided with Washington, Stephen Fistner and two unoccupied vehicles, authorities said.
Washington suffered serious injuries and is hospitalized, police said.
Fistner was pronounced dead shortly after 7 p.m. – about an hour after the incident – at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio ruled the death a homicide and said an autopsy would be conducted Monday.
The crash crippled Davis’s car but he allegedly walked away. Police said several people assisted the victims and followed Davis while recording him with their cellphones. They directed police from Whitehall, Allentown and South Whitehall Township to him.
He was arrested by Allentown officers and allegedly told them his intention was to harm and kill Washington. A motive was not given, according to the district attorney’s office.
"I'm not denying what I did. I know what I did," he told police, according to court records.
The investigation so far has not revealed any previous relationship between Davis and Washington, other than they appear to have been neighbors previously, authorities said.
Davis was arraigned on the felony charges and ordered to Lehigh County Jail without bail. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 16.
The district attorney’s office thanked the multiple agencies involved in the investigation – as well as the many people who helped police.
“We would also like to express our appreciation for numerous members of the community who contacted 911 immediately; who sought to aid the victims; those who followed the suspect and were able to help police identify Davis and detain him,” District Attorney Gavin Hollihan and Whitehall Police Chief Michael Marks said in the news release.
“Also, we thank members of the community who provided investigators with video evidence of what happened.
“It is because of all the hard work by investigators in conjunction with the invaluable help from the community that we are able to announce this arrest so quickly.”
