A man died after a woman allegedly flung him off the hood of her car and dragged his body more than 300 feet through a central Ohio parking lot last October, authorities said.
Background
Danielle Henry, 35, was sentenced Aug. 27 to up to five and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide on Aug. 11. The charges stem from the death of Ibrahim Diakite, who authorities say was killed on Oct. 22, 2025, following a minor fender bender in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store in Westerville, Ohio.
According to police, Henry and Diakite were involved in a minor collision in the parking lot. After Henry drove out of the lot, Diakite followed her until they both stopped at a red light at an intersection near the store. Police said Diakite got out of his car, walked up to Henry's vehicle, and stood in front of it to prevent her from leaving.
Westerville Police Chief Holly Murchland told WBNS that Diakite then climbed onto the hood of Henry's car. In response, authorities allege Henry abruptly accelerated, flinging Diakite off the vehicle.
The Investigation
Diakite landed in the road and was run over by Henry, police said. She continued driving and dragged his body more than 300 feet before it was released from underneath her car. Diakite died at a hospital.
Murchland confirmed that Henry had several warrants out for her arrest at the time of the incident. She also told WBNS that Henry was driving a stolen car when she struck Diakite.
"She was obviously willing to do whatever she could to keep from being caught by the police and showed herself to be a danger to the community," Murchland said in a statement to the local CBS affiliate.
Henry was originally charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter, hit-skip on private property, failure to comply with order or signal of police, and seven additional misdemeanor charges. She pleaded guilty to the aggravated vehicular homicide count as part of her plea agreement.
Key Takeaways
- Ibrahim Diakite died after Danielle Henry allegedly flung him from the hood of her car and dragged his body over 300 feet in Westerville, Ohio
- Henry had multiple warrants for her arrest at the time of the incident
- She was driving a stolen vehicle when the collision occurred
- Henry pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide on Aug. 11
- A judge sentenced her to up to 5½ years in prison with a minimum of four years to serve
What's Next
Henry will serve her sentence through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Her driver's license was permanently suspended as part of her sentencing.
"The Law & Crime Docket" first reported this story.