A California man was arrested on Friday on suspicion of murder after authorities said he dragged another man with his car in a brazen daytime attack in affluent Beverly Hills that resulted in the victim’s death.
Police said the incident occurred at 12:42 p.m. when multiple 911 callers reported an assault with a deadly weapon near Wilshire Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard.
Authorities said a verbal argument between Christopher Cornelius, 54, of San Bernardino, and the unidentified victim escalated into a violent attack. Witnesses said Cornelius beat the man with a metal object such as a pipe or hammer.
Cornelius then allegedly drove a white sedan on the wrong side of the road, hit the victim with the car as he tried to get up and dragged him approximately 100 to 200 feet along San Vicente Boulevard. A video of the horrific attack was posted to social media.
Police found the victim with serious injuries and later died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Christopher Cornelius, 54, of San Bernardino, is charged with murder after he allegedly beat and dragged a man after an altercation in Beverly Hills (Google Maps)
Police established a quarantine area and quickly arrested Cornelius, who was hiding in a nearby building.
Cornelius was arrested on murder charges and is being held on $2 million bail. Police said he had an extensive criminal history and did not release any other details about the victim or whether he had any ties to Cornelius.
independent Contact the Beverly Hills Police Department for more information.
Homicides are rare in this affluent area of ​​Beverly Hills, with the city’s last reported criminal homicide in 2022, according to crime reports on the department’s website. Violent crime, such as robberies and aggravated assaults, is also much lower than in surrounding areas of Los Angeles.
Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call BHPD at 310-550-4951 or text “TIP BHPDALERT” followed by the tip to 888777.
