A man who is accused of running another man over with his car, killing him, after an argument in New Britain Tuesday night admitted to police that he ran two men over and left the scene, according to police.
Police responded to the area of Park and Stanley streets around 10 p.m. Tuesday to investigate a hit-and-run and found 59-year-old Bruce Cote, of New Britain, and another man who had been struck, according to the arrest warrant.
Cote received treatment at the scene and later died at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, according to police.
During the investigation, police went through surveillance video from a deli on Stanley Street, which showed three men getting into an argument.
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Cote and one of the man walked off after the argument and a gray Ford Escape was seen speeding up, then hitting Cote and the other man in the parking lot, and then driving off, according to the arrest warrant.
Police identified the suspect as Jose Rios, 52, of New Britain.
He turned himself in to police at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday and admitted to hitting two people with his vehicle and leaving, the arrest warrant says.
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Rios gave police a statement saying that he had been drinking with a friend, went outside to get some air and saw Cote.
He told police he had issues with Cote in the past and the man who was with him went to shake Rios’ hand, but Rios responded, saying, “No, I’m good,” the arrest warrant states.
Rios said they argued, and he got into his Escape, drove over the other two men, then drove home, the arrest warrant states.
Rios told police that he felt badly about what he did and said no one deserved to die, according to the arrest warrant.
Rios appeared in court Wednesday and bond was set at $2.5 million.
He was charged with murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, assault in the first degree and several motor vehicle-related charges, according to the mayor’s office.
Rio is due in court again on July 25.
Officials said Rio has a police record that includes 17 convictions between 1993 and 2015.
