Philly prosecutors upgrade charges against man they say struck, killed woman with his car

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Prosecutors have upgraded charges to third-degree murder against a man they say struck and killed a pedestrian with his car as he was trying to escape arrest in a rape case. A city judge upheld the charges during a preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon.  

Raheem Geathers, 36, will now move on to trial, facing third-degree murder and homicide by vehicle charges for a May crash that killed a 63-year-old woman walking on the sidewalk.

A Philadelphia police officer told the judge that he and his sergeant recognized Geathers as he sat in his car near Seventh and Master streets, and they knew he was wanted in connection with a 2018 rape.

The officer said as they came up to him, he took off, hitting the victim with his car and then jumping out and running.

Eventually they caught up with Geathers, and he was arrested. 

The victim had severe injuries to her head and body but died of a heart attack on the way to the hospital. 

Geathers is also charged in the rape case, but he denies the accusations.

Court records show Geathers has been convicted of something similar from 2015 — striking someone as he tried to escape police during a traffic stop.