Man run over by friend after drunken play fighting outside Tacoma complex has died

A Tacoma man repeatedly run over by a friend after drunken play fighting has died.

Gerald Bryant, 34, died of blunt force trauma to the head, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Bryant had been on life support since the March 8 incident outside an apartment building in the 1700 block of East 56th Street.

The friend accused of running him over, 21-year-old Jacob Williams, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.

He is being held on $500,000 bail.

Charging papers and police give this account:

The men were drinking outside the apartment building and play fighting led to an argument.

Williams’ mother and brother took him inside after noticing how heavily intoxicated he was.

Williams “continued to be angry and argumentative” and asked his family for keys to a Volkswagen Jetta, records say.

Although his mother and brother refused, Williams was able to get the keys from them and run outside.

They chased him into the parking lot, but Williams had already allegedly run over Bryant several times.

Several bystanders called 911.

Bryant was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was placed on life support.

Williams fled in the Jetta and parked it one block away.

Police later found the car and arrested Williams.

Bryant died last week, and prosecutors amended the charges against Williams from first-degree assault to second-degree murder.

This story was originally published March 26, 2019 at 8:56 AM.