PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MD – A disturbing hit-and-run incident in Maryland has left a 28-year-old man, Franklin Mendez, dead, and has shocked the community after a doorbell camera captured the driver removing the victim’s body from the car’s windshield before fleeing the scene.
The fatal incident occurred on Ardwick Ardmore Road in Prince George’s County, where Mendez’s lifeless body was discovered. Police responded to a welfare check at approximately 4:05 a.m. and found the victim displaying signs of trauma. Tragically, Mendez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Doorbell camera footage revealed the horrifying sequence of events. The video showed the suspect exiting his vehicle, removing Mendez’s body from the windshield, and then reentering his car before driving away.
Investigations into the victim’s death uncovered that Mendez had been involved in a separate minor collision about two miles away in the 8900 block of Annapolis Road earlier. It is believed that after the initial collision, Mendez left his vehicle and was subsequently struck by another car. Instead of stopping, the driver continued to Ardwick Ardmore Road, where Mendez was abandoned, and the suspect fled.
The vehicle involved in the incident is thought to be a gray Honda Civic from 2011 to 2017, featuring a large white decal on the top of the rear window. Additionally, the car is expected to have damage to its passenger-side front bumper and fender, along with a hole in the windshield.
Authorities are asking for assistance from the public to identify the suspect.