An Egg Harbor Township man accused of intentionally running over a man in Pleasantville and fleeing the scene was released from jail Wednesday.
Brian Morris told police that the victim intentionally jumped in front of his car, and then refused to get off when he landed on the hood, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC.
But video and a witness tell a different story.
David Doebly was found lying in the road on North Main Street near Loraine Avenue, after a call just before 3 p.m. Tuesday that a man was on the hood of a moving vehicle, Capt. Angelo Maldonado said.
Doebly, 56, of Egg Harbor Township, was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center's City Campus for treatment.
The driver was found parked at a residence in the 700 block of Linden Avenue after a passing motorist alerted Officer Uriel Juarez-Rojas that is was the suspect vehicle, according to the report.
Morris, 73, told the officer that he was heading east on Reading Avenue, when he approached a construction zone and Doebly told him, "Just turn around and go back where (you) came from," Juarez-Rojas wrote in the affidavit.
Morris said he tried to go around Doebly, who "jumped in front of the vehicle and landed on the hood," the affidavit of probable cause states.
Doebly then started recording with his phone and yelling profanities, Morris said.
Morris said he gave the man "multiple opportunities to get off the vehicle." When the victim allegedly refused, Morris told him he would drive to the police station with him on the hood, according to the affidavit.
"The guy could have got off the hood of the car before (the driver) pulled out onto Main Street," said Beth Dalfonso, who witnessed the incident with her husband. "Then the driver sped up and we sped up so fast (so we) could get the plate number."
Doebly then "just kind of fell off the car" when Morris stopped at Loraine Avenue, she said.
That's when Morris ran over the victim, and then he "backed up and drove over him again," Dalfonso said.
Video footage showed Morris "purposefully striking (Doebly) with his vehicle," the affidavit states.
Morris was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree leaving the scene of a crash resulting in serious bodily injury and fourth-degree assault by auto.
He also was issued seven motor vehicle summonses, including reckless driving, careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident.
Morris was lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility, but was released Wednesday night, without a detention hearing.
(NOTE: This story originally ran July 23, 2025. It has been updated to include details from the affidavit of probable cause and that the driver was released.)
