‘It was horrific’: Pedestrian hit, killed by vehicle at Walmart in Decatur

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) - A pedestrian was hit and killed in the parking lot of the Walmart Neighborhood Market on 6th Avenue in Decatur.

Irene Cardenas-Martinez with the Decatur Police Department says officers responded to the incident at approximately 9 p.m. on Aug. 25. At the scene, officers arrested 33-year-old Preston Nelson on the charge of murder, according to online court documents.

According to the Decatur Police, Nelson parked in a handicap spot near the store’s entrance and waited until Sherry Sain came out. Once Sain was behind Nelson’s car he reversed, pinning Sain between his Mercury Grand Marquis LS and another car.

According to a criminal complaint, Nelson attempted to flee the scene but was stopped by a civilian, that is when Nelson’s vehicle stalled. Sain was pronounced dead on the scene.

Nelson was booked into the Morgan County jail on a $500,000 bond.

Amy Brown says she saw a driver hit and ultimately kill a woman.

Brown said she was leaving Walmart with her young son when she saw a car slowly backing out of a parking spot. She said he started to speed up and pinned a woman between his car and another one. She then saw him drive away leaving this woman’s lifeless body.

Several witnesses yelled at him to turn around and he did.

He came back and kneeled down next to the body. Brown said she was shocked by what he did next.

“He comes and kneels down beside her and takes his hands, puts it in her blood and puts it all over his face,” Brown said. ”He stands up. My son started screaming at him and he stood up it was an unreal look in his eyes.”

Brown said she doesn’t think this was an accident.

“It seemed like it was done intentionally,” Brown said. “No remorse. I mean how could you just come up and not check a pulse, but you lay your hands.”

Brown said she will never forget what she saw.

“It was horrific,” Brown said. “It is something I will never be able to take out of my mind.”

Two weeks prior to the incident, Nelson posted a video on social media referring to himself as “King Nelson” and speaks about his mental health.

The victim’s family has sent WAFF a picture of her along with a GoFundMe that has been set up for her funeral expenses. Click here to view the GoFundMe.

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