OVIEDO, Fla. – A 22-year-old man crashed into a 16-year-old Oviedo boy with his van after the teen robbed him during a drug deal gone wrong, according to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.
Chris Johnson, a student at Hagerty High School, was left pinned under the vehicle around 7 p.m. April 15 on Chinaberry Avenue. He died as a result of his injuries.
The driver fled the scene of the crash, deputies said. Nelson Strohaker was arrested Saturday in connection with the fatal hit-and-run crash.
Recently released court documents reveal a series of Snapchat messages sent from Strohaker's account to a friend's, as well as interviews conducted by detectives, indicating that Strohaker went to to sell Johnson marijuana before their meeting turned deadly.
Johnson's sister told detectives the two siblings were walking home after buying snacks at a nearby store when, "Christopher told her he was going to rob someone of marijuana in order to sell it since 4/20 was approaching," according to the affidavit.
Johnson's sister told detectives she tried to talk her brother out of the robbery, but Johnson told her to go home. She was walking away, and after several minutes, she heard a crash, ran back to the scene and saw a van with Strohaker inside. Strohaker then took off on foot as she found her brother's body pinned underneath the van, deputies said.
Detectives later discovered Snapchat messages sent from Strohaker's phone to a friend.
One message from Strohaker's account said: "I killed pat's friend he tried to rob me."
The friend responded: "Wuuut, you're kidding..."
Strohaker's account said: "No I backed over him and got the van stuck I'm screwed."
Strohaker's account sent messages to other friends, saying he "was going to prison" and that it was an accident.
Strohaker is being held without bond at the Seminole County jail. He's charged with felony murder, leaving the scene of a crash involving a death, possession of drug equipment and possession of marijuana.