23-year-old man arrested in string of hit-and-runs that left man dead

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man they say is the suspect in a string of hit-and-runs that left one man dead and a 4-year-old critically injured.

Police said they arrested the 23-year-old man Friday and charged him with felony murder. Police identified him as Tyrus Webster, of Lithonia. Webster faces charges of felony murder, aggravated assault (six charges) and more.

Police said Webster hit and killed a 78-year-old man Sunday in Wade Walker Park. Webster then stole the victim’s SUV and later hit a family of six on bikes in the parking lot of North DeKalb Mall, leaving a 4-year-old in critical condition.

Police identified the man who was killed as Basil Naylor. Webster is also being charged in the theft of Naylor’s cash and credit cards.

Police said the same vehicle was involved in another accident in another jurisdiction around 12 p.m., but they haven’t released the details of that accident.

On Monday, police pulled the SUV involved in the accidents over on I-75 after a license plate reader alerted police to the vehicle.

Five people were taken into custody. DeKalb Police later said the suspect was not in the SUV.

On Thursday, police released a photo of a man wanted for questioning in the accidents.

Webster is a suspect in other incidents in Cobb and Gwinnett Counties.

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