Tyler Coenraads: Man charged with second-degree murder after assaulting pedestrian on crosswalk

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA: A 24-year-old North Carolina man has been charged with a second-degree murder charge, following his voluntary surrender to the Ashville Police Department on Monday, April 08.

This charge stems from an incident where Tyler Coenraads allegedly pushed a 73-year-old pedestrian who had lightly tapped on the hood of his vehicle. As a result of this action, the elderly pedestrian, Gregory William Martin, fell and suffered a fatal head injury.

Coenraads is presently detained at the Buncombe County Detention Facility without bail. The incident occurred on February 29 while Martin was crossing a crosswalk at Haywood Road near Craven Street as per Law&Crime.

What happened to Gregory William Martin?

On the afternoon of February 29, APD Patrol Officers were called to Haywood Road near Craven Street to investigate an assault on a pedestrian. 

The pedestrian had tapped on the hood of a stationary vehicle when a passenger emerged and forcibly pushed the pedestrian to the ground. 

Subsequently, the assailant returned to the vehicle and fled the scene. The victim suffered significant head trauma and was promptly taken to Mission Hospital for medical attention.

Following a meticulous investigation, detectives identified the suspect as Tyler Coenraads (born on January 17, 2000). 

Initially, Coenraads was charged with assault, inflicting serious bodily injury. He surrendered himself at the Buncombe County Detention Facility on March 8 and was detained under a $5,000 secured bond set by the magistrate. 

Two weeks after the incident, Martin tragically succumbed to his injuries on March 12, and his next of kin has been duly notified.

Coenraads is presently ineligible for bond, and notably, no bonds have been authorized by the magistrate. 

A woman witnessed pedestrian assault 

A woman, Wendy Harmon saw a pedestrian get pushed at a crosswalk. She tried to help, but the person who pushed the pedestrian got into a car and left. 

The pedestrian later died, and the woman shared her story with the news 13 on March 15. 

She remembered the sound of the pedestrian's head hitting the ground. She added, “The other individual had exited the SUV and followed him to the sidewalk and shoved him face down from behind.”

She was working nearby and ran over to help when she saw what happened. The pedestrian was bleeding, and the woman and another person tried to stop the bleeding. 

She claimed, “His face was very purple in color and he was actually spitting up clots of blood.” The pedestrian was lying on the ground, breathing but mostly silent. The woman stayed with him until an ambulance came and took him to the hospital. 

She had seen the pedestrian in the area before and felt sad about his death. She hoped he had support and wasn't in pain when he died. 

Harmon concluded, “I hope he wasn’t in pain when he passed, and I’m just really sorry that he was treated as less than because of his social circumstances. It’s heartbreaking.”