A 47-year-old Tulsa man is facing a manslaughter charge after police say he chased a 59-year-old man off a used car lot, sending him running into traffic where he was struck and killed by a box truck. Christopher Hart was booked into the Rogers County jail days after the deadly confrontation near East 8th Street and South Sheridan Road.
Deadly Confrontation at a Car Lot
The Tulsa Police Department responded to an injury collision near East 8th Street and Sheridan Road on Friday, where officers found Roy Deaver lying in the roadway and pronounced him dead at the scene, according to KOKH. Deaver reportedly lived in a vehicle at Johnny Auto Sales, and police say he confronted Hart and two other people at the property before the deadly chain of events began. Witnesses told investigators that a man chased Deaver and threw things at him, causing him to run out into the road, the station reports.
Separately, ktul.com reported that the Tulsa Police Department was investigating the fatal auto-pedestrian accident, noting that someone may have been chasing the victim and throwing things at him, leading him to run into the street, where he was hit by a large truck shortly after.
Driver Stayed, Suspect Fled
The driver of the truck that struck Deaver remained at the scene and assisted authorities with their investigation, per the same ktul.com report. Hart, by contrast, reportedly left the scene in his own car after the chase, according to the station's report on the case.
Homicide detectives tracked Hart down the next day. He told police he had gone to the car dealership to sell the property owner stolen motor oil containers, and said he saw Deaver get hit by the truck, per KOKH. Officers arrested Hart on existing warrants before he was booked into the Rogers County jail.
Manslaughter Charge Filed
The Tulsa Police Department said Hart was charged with manslaughter in connection with Deaver's death. The station's report does not specify whether the person witnesses described chasing Deaver was confirmed by police to be Hart, and further details on the case have not been released.
