EAGAN, Minn. - A man says an Eagan couple on their nightly walk "freaked him out" before he ran them over and drove off, according to charges filed Monday.
Jonna Kojo Armartey, 36, of Eagan, is with two counts of second-degree murder. He remains in the Dakota County Jail.
According to the criminal complaint, police were called to 2020 Silver Bell Road in Eagan shortly before 10 p.m. on June 28. They arrived to find two people laying in a parking lot bleeding and gasping for air. Roger Peterson, 74, and his wife Diane Peterson, 58, were taken to Regions Hospital where they died.
Witnesses told investigators the couple was hit by a silver van, which sped away. A short time later, a man called 911 to report he heard about the incident on his police scanner and believed he found the suspect's van in the parking lot of La Fonda's Restaurant, less than a mile from the scene.
Officers responded and found a Dodge Caravan with front-end damage. They also located a cellphone wedged under the passenger side windshield wiper which belonged to Diane Peterson, charges state. Police also found prescription pill bottles inside the van with Armartey's name on them.
During their investigation, police learned they were called to Armartey's apartment the day before due to a domestic dispute. Officers saw Armartey put his belongings in the same van later involved in the hit-and-run.
Officers caught up to Armartey around 5 a.m. June 29 and arrested him at a hotel in Apple Valley.
During a police interview, Armartey said he saw the Petersons and they "freaked him out" so he ran them over. He also said he was "going fast" and "hit them hard," charges state.
The Peterson family said in a statement Monday, "Roger and Diane were active members of their church and their community. They were always there for support or encouragement and pillars for family and friends. We were all family. We request privacy during this difficult time and request not to be contacted by members of the media as we grieve and celebrate the lives of those that have been taken from us. Thank you."
