A 24-year-old man from Northern Virginia died when a driver purposefully hit him outside of a bar in Philadelphia over the weekend, authorities say.
Jason Corona, of Fredericksburg, was at The Union Tap in Philadelphia celebrating a loved one's return from military deployment after midnight Sunday, police said.
During the celebration, Philadelphia police said a man made advances at a woman who was with Corona, and Corona stepped in to help her.
"I think she was shunning his advances and, at some point, the decedent stepped in, and this escalated to the point of a confrontation," Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said.
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Vanore said the suspect, a 22-year-old man, got into a car and sped through the parking lot before hitting Corona.
Corona recently graduated from George Mason University.
His father, Frank Corona, is a detective for the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office.
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"We are heartbroken for our brother (Det. Corona) and his family. Jason was a beautiful soul from an equally beautiful family," a spokesperson for the sheriff's office said in a statement to News4.
Philadelphia police said the suspect is expected to turn himself in soon. He will be charged with third-degree murder, according to police.
