Man Confesses To Driving Through Fundraiser Crowd; Fatally Attacking Mother

Police officers in bulletproof vests behind cordon tape

Photo: Getty Images

The suspect who drove through a crowd at a Pennsylvania fundraiser and later killed his own mother confessed to doing so intentionally, according to a Pennsylvania State Police criminal complaint obtained by NBC News.

Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes, 24, faces two open counts of criminal homicide in relation to the death of a 50-year-old woman killed at a "community event" held in Berwick, as well as a separate attack on his mother, Rosa D. Reyes, 56, in the nearby borough of Nesopeck on Saturday (August 13).

Investigators said Reyes confessed to both homicides -- which took place about 2 miles apart -- after being informed of his right not to cooperate, according to the criminal complaint via NBC News.

"Yeah, that was me," Reyes was quoted as saying when asked if he was aware of the incident in which 18 people were struck by a vehicle in Berwick on Saturday.

Reyes said he was initially involved in an argument with his mother at their Nescopeck home and drove off prior to passing a crowd gathered in a parking lot outside a Berwick bar called Intoxicology Department, which was hosting an event to raise funds for the families of the three children and seven adults killed in an August 5 house fire in Nescopeck, WBRE in Wilkes-Barre reported.

Reyes was quoted as saying he was "speeding up" when his Honda Accord struck the crowd and claimed he was tired of arguing with his mother about financial issues and other matters at the time of the incident.

"I didn't ram 'em," Reyes is quoted as saying via NBC News. "I just ran them over."

Reyes then returned to his home in Nescopeck and spotted his mother in the street before intentionally striking her with his vehicle, getting out of the car, noticing that she was unconscious, grabbing a hammer inside the vehicle and striking her four or five times with the tool.

Reyes was arrested in Nescopeck after the attack on his mother. Rosa Reyes and the woman killed at the Berwick fundraiser were both pronounced dead at the scenes.

A total of 17 others were injured during the incident in Berwick, which included five reported to be in critical condition, according to hospital officials and police.

Reyes was “was denied bail and remanded to the Columbia County Correctional Facility," according to a Pennsylvania State Police news release obtained by NBC News Sunday morning.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content