Westerville, OH — A minor parking lot accident turned deadly in Franklin County, where police say a man was killed after trying to stop a driver from fleeing the scene of a collision.
Minor Crash Escalates into Fatal Incident
The confrontation began on October 22 in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store in Westerville, a suburb northeast of Columbus. According to court records and local law enforcement, Ibrahim Diakite attempted to confront the other driver — identified as Danielle Henry, 34 — after a minor traffic accident occurred.
Police say Henry left the scene, prompting Diakite to follow her vehicle in an effort to get her to stop.
Victim Clings to Hood Before Being Run Over
Both vehicles stopped at a red light near the parking lot. Authorities state that Diakite then exited his car and stood in front of Henry’s vehicle, reportedly stepping onto the hood to prevent her from driving away a second time.
Investigators say Henry accelerated rapidly — reaching speeds near 45 mph while Diakite remained on the hood. He was thrown off the vehicle and struck the pavement, after which Henry allegedly ran him over and dragged him an estimated 300 to 600 feet before leaving him in the roadway.
Emergency responders transported Diakite to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, as per the reports.
Suspect Arrested and Facing Serious Charges
Henry was detained by Westerville police on Saturday following the deadly hit-and-run. She now faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including:
- Aggravated vehicular homicide
- Involuntary manslaughter
- Hit-skip on private property (hit-and-run)
- Failure to comply with a police order
- Seven additional misdemeanor counts
She was arraigned Monday and is currently being held without bail at the James Carnes Corrections Center in Franklin County.
Her next scheduled court appearance is November 4.
Community Shocked by Sudden Loss
The incident has rattled residents in the busy retail district, where shoppers often navigate through crowded lots and tight lanes.
Police are continuing their investigation and reviewing witness statements and surveillance footage to further piece together the confrontation that turned tragic.
How do you think hit-and-run laws should be enforced to prevent tragedies like this? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
