Man Intentionally Drove Over Married Eagan Couple: Murder Charges

EAGAN, MN — Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced Monday that Jonna Kojo Armartey, 36, formerly of Eagan has been charged with two counts of murder (with intent) in connection with the death of 58-year-old Diane Peterson and 74-year-old Roger Peterson while they were walking in Eagan last week.

Shortly before 10 p.m. on June 28, Eagan officers were dispatched to a parking lot on a report of two people in need of medical attention. When police arrived they found both Diane and Roger Peterson struggling to breathe.

The married couple was transported to Regions Hospital where they were both pronounced dead. Their injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma.

Witnesses told police the Petersons were struck by a silver van, which sped away from the scene. A short time later, officers responded to a report that a minivan matching this description was in a parking lot of a restaurant less than one mile from the initial scene.

Officers observed a Dodge Caravan with front-end damage. The majority of the windshield was cracked.

Diane Peterson’s cell phone was found wedged under the passenger-side windshield wiper. Investigators say the registered owner of the van sold it through a third party months earlier.

Armartey was located at a hotel in Apple Valley where he was arrested. Jonna Kojo Armartey said the Petersons "freaked him out" so he ran them over "going fast and hit them hard," according to police.

Armartey did not know the Petersons.

At the time of the crash, authorities say Armartey was on probation for three prior felony convictions for incidents which occurred in Dakota County (theft of a motor vehicle on March 1, 2016; assault in the 3rd degree of a correctional officer on March 26, 2016; and assault in the 4th degree of a psychiatrist on March 30, 2016).

He was also civilly committed from June 9, 2016 to Dec. 8, 2017 based on a psychologist’s conclusion that he was not mentally competent to proceed in connection with the case involving the psychiatrist mentioned above.

"This was not an accident," Backstrom said in a statement.

"The victims in this case appear to have been targeted by the Defendant, the reasons for which are unknown at this time."

Backstrom thanked the Eagan Police Department for their investigation of this case and the first responders for their assistance at the scene of this crash.

Armartey made his first appearance in court Monday and bail in the amount of $2,000,000 without conditions ($1,500,000 with conditions) was set by Dakota County District Court Judge Cynthia McCollum.

Image via Dakota County Jail