Lithonia man charged in series of hit-and-runs that killed 1, injured others

Tyrus Anthony Webster

Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office

Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office

Tyrus Anthony Webster

A Lithonia man wanted in connection with a multicounty crime spree that left one man dead and several others injured last weekend was arrested Friday morning, authorities said.

Tyrus Anthony Webster, 23, was taken into custody on Panthersville Road in DeKalb County, police said. He faces 17 charges in connection with a carjacking and a string of hit-and-runs, including one that was fatal.

The spree began about 10:45 a.m. Sunday at Wade Walker Park when Webster carjacked 78-year-old Basil Naylor and killed him, according to police.

According to his warrant, Webster stole Naylor’s Hyundai Santa Fe and “ran him over several times.” He’s also accused of taking the man’s cash and credit cards, which he later used, authorities said.

The vehicle was then used in two separate hit-and-runs reported within the span of about four hours, AJC.com previously reported.

About two hours after the initial carjacking, Webster used the SUV to ram the back of another car at a Gwinnett County intersection, police said.

At 2:15 p.m., a family of six was riding their bicycles at North DeKalb Mall when they were hit by the SUV, DeKalb police said. A 4-year-old girl was critically injured in that incident.

On Monday morning, Marietta police pulled over the SUV along I-75 South near Windy Hill Road, Marietta police spokesman Chuck McPhilamy said. Five people in the vehicle were detained and later released. Webster was not in the SUV, but he is a suspect in a Cobb County case, according to the DeKalb sheriff's office. Details about that incident have not been released.

RELATED: SUV involved in DeKalb hit-and-runs found in Marietta; suspect still wanted

A DeKalb police spokeswoman said Friday that Webster was identified as the suspect in the carjacking and hit-and-runs after authorities released surveillance photos of him earlier this week.

MORE: Man wanted for questioning in DeKalb hit-and-runs that killed man, injured 4-year-old

He is charged with felony murder, reckless driving, hit-and-run, theft by taking, credit card theft, credit card fraud, four counts of cruelty to children, aggravated battery and six counts of aggravated assault, authorities said.

Webster remains held at the DeKalb County Jail without bond.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

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