Georgia Lawyer Allegedly Runs Over, Kills Dad of 2 Who Threw Golf Ball at His Mercedes: DA

Prosecutors allege that Bryan Schmitt purposely swerved his Mercedes into Hamid Jahangard, fatally striking the father of two

A Georgia lawyer has been charged with murder in an alleged road rage incident that left a prominent real estate investor dead.

Bryan Keith Schmitt, 48, was also indicted on Aug. 23 on felony murder and aggravated assault charges in the Aug. 1 death of 60-year-old Hamid Jahangard.

Prosecutors allege that Schmitt purposely swerved his 2011 Mercedes CLS550 into Jahangard and struck the father of two, who died three days later of blunt force injuries to the head.

The fatal encounter allegedly occurred after Jahangard accidentally hit Schmitt’s Mercedes with a golf ball, prosecutors said.

According to a police report obtained by PEOPLE, Schmitt claimed he accidentally struck Jahangard in the driveway of his Sandy Springs rental property after Schmitt swerved to avoid a trash can.

An investigation into the incident began on July 30 after Sandy Springs police received a 911 call at 6:16 p.m. regarding “a male struck by a vehicle.”

When police arrived, Jahangard was “bleeding heavily from the ears and head,” the report states.

Schmitt, who was at the scene when police arrived, told investigators he was driving north on River Valley Road when he saw Jahangard standing on the sidewalk leaning over a trash can.

He alleged that as he drove closer he saw Jahangard “make a throwing motion with his arm and saw either a rock or golf ball come out of his hand and hit his car,” the report states.

According to the report, Schmitt said he turned his car around and drove back to Jahangard, asking him why he threw the golf ball at his car.

“He said that Jahangard told him to ‘f… off, it’s none of your business,’” the report states.

Bryan Schmitt.

Schmitt told police that at that point he started to pull into the driveway but Jahangard pushed a trash can towards his car.

“He said that he swerved to miss the trash can and hit another trash can, which in turn struck Jahangard, knocking him to the ground,” according to the report. “He said that he then got out of the Mercedes to check on Jahangard and stabilize his head.”

Police found a golf ball but didn’t see any damage to Schmitt’s Mercedes.

Jahangard’s brother later told police he was on the phone with his brother when he heard someone yelling at him but couldn’t hear what was said.

“He stated that he then heard his brother two times say, ‘I did not throw anything. I did not throw anything, get out [of] my face,’ and then the line went dead,” the report states.

Police later obtained video footage from a service van that allegedly showed Schmitt veering into the driveway.

• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

According to the report, the driveway was wide enough, with “plenty of room for Schmitt to have turned around without coming close to the victim.”

“The speed used to vault the garbage can, lift the front end of his car up and to slam the victim down so hard it causes a massive skull fracture … is not an accident,” the report states.

Schmitt’s attorney could not be reached for comment.

Jahangard, a native of Iran, graduated from Walton High School in Cobb County and pursued a master’s degree in civil engineeringat Georgia Tech.

In an obituary, Jahangard was described as a hard-working, humble man who “came to the United States with little money in his pocket but the promise of the American Dream in his heart.”

According to a GoFundMe page, Jahangard’s wife died last year of breast cancer.

“[His two daughters] lost their mom last year to breast cancer and have now lost their dad just days before the anniversary of their mother’s death,” it reads.

According to a court petition for bond, Schmitt received commendation medals during his time in the US Army and had served in Macedonia and Kosovo as part of a NATO peacekeeping mission.