Police: Jacksonville man used car as weapon to run woman over

A local man is in custody, accused of using his car as a weapon to run over a woman.

Neighbors tells Action News Jax that woman has died.

The crash happened Wednesday morning on Friden Drive in the Ribault neighborhood of Jacksonville.

When police arrived, they say Shafonda Boynton was found inside her house screaming and covered in blood.

Police arrested John Perry for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Late Wednesday night, Perry was facing additional charges, including attempted murder, burglary and murder.

According to the police report, a woman told officers that Perry and Boynton were arguing when he got into the car and hit her from behind, throwing her into the house.

We’ve been talking to neighbors and a man who doesn't want to be identified said that Boynton borrowed Perry's car and didn't return it—and that was what the argument was about.

Another neighbor who doesn't want to be identified tells me the crash woke her up this morning.

"Just a loud boom. I thought somebody had hit my truck and I just looked out my window and I just saw the car in the yard and that's all. I come downstairs and rescue came. I don’t know what had happened, I just saw the car in the yard," she said.

Perry was arrested after police found him sitting in a chair a few houses down the street.

We looked into Perry’s criminal history and found he was arrested at least 23 times with charges ranging from battery and possessing drugs. In 1990, he was arrested for second degree murder and armed robbery but the charges were dropped.

Neighbors said Boynton was a mother of three and worked hard to support her children. We asked neighbors if Boynton and Perry were dating and neighbors said they were just acquaintances.

Cox Media Group