The recording showed an argument, hammer damage, a crash and a vehicle fire, said police.
PHILADELPHIA — Surveillance video from a North Philadelphia car wash is now key evidence against a woman accused of intentionally driving into her ex-boyfriend and leaving him injured near a burning car.
The recording, captured April 8 at a car wash on North Broad Street, gave investigators a minute-by-minute view of a confrontation that became an attempted murder case. Authorities identified the driver as Imani Walker, 27, and the injured worker as Moctar Elias, 42. Prosecutors filed charges April 10, saying Walker struck Elias with a Volkswagen Jetta after the two fought and after she allegedly used a hammer on his vehicle.
The first images described from the video show a conversation rather than a crash. Walker and Elias stand near the car wash while he is working. Police said Walker slapped a coffee cup out of his hand, and the exchange turned physical. Walker swung at Elias, Elias swung back and the two wrestled until they were on the ground, officials said. Co-workers came over as the fight continued. “She started arguing with him, hit him in the face,” car wash manager Bou Bou Gory said. “She had a hammer in her hand.” Investigators have not publicly said what words passed between Walker and Elias before the first blow.
The second part of the video shifted the focus from the fight to the cars. Police said Walker got back into her Volkswagen Jetta, drove to Elias’ vehicle and began smashing its windows with a hammer. Elias then obtained the hammer and struck Walker’s car as she reversed near the exit, officials said. The recording showed Walker create distance, then drive forward. Elias was standing in the vehicle’s path. Authorities said the Jetta hit him intentionally, shoved him into a nearby wall and broke the windshield. The car then began to burn as smoke rose into the air.
The third part of the recording showed the people around the crash reacting within seconds. One co-worker dragged Elias away from the vehicle after the impact. Another person moved toward Walker and tried to stop her from leaving, according to local accounts of the video. Walker fled on foot, police said. Elias was taken to an area hospital and treated for neck and leg injuries. He later returned to the car wash, but not with a clear plan to resume work. “I be scared to work,” he said after the attack.
The video did more than show a crash. It helped investigators separate the event from a standard collision report and build allegations that the car was used as a weapon. Walker was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, accident involving death or personal injury, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief. The possession charge is tied to the hammer allegation. The criminal mischief charge reflects damage authorities said was done to Elias’ vehicle and other property during the confrontation.
Elias added context to the video when he spoke after the crash. He identified Walker as his ex-girlfriend and said they had dated for about five years. He said he had never experienced that kind of confrontation with her before. “Never, never happened, never happened,” he said. He also said he had not expected the hammer to appear during the fight. “I didn’t expect to see the hammer. When the hammer fell, I grabbed the hammer,” he said. His comments did not explain the motive, and investigators did not release one.
Prosecutors said the case would be handled by Assistant District Attorney Margaret McDermott of the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said the office would seek justice for domestic violence survivors regardless of gender. He also said the office’s Victim Services Unit would work with outside partners to support those affected by the crash. The statements placed the video inside a broader prosecution theory, one that treats the relationship between Walker and Elias as relevant to how the alleged attack happened and how the case moves through court.
Walker was arrested and arraigned April 10, two days after the video was recorded. Reports citing court records said she posted a $75,000 bond. Online court records did not show an attorney who could speak for her. Her next scheduled appearance was a preliminary hearing on April 24. At that hearing, prosecutors would not need to prove the full case beyond a reasonable doubt, but they would need to show enough evidence for the charges to advance. The surveillance footage was expected to be central to that step.
The human details surrounding the recording added another layer to the case. Elias’ ex-wife, Nieema Elias, came to the car wash after the attack and said Walker deserved jail. Moctar Elias, despite saying he feared for his life, said he did not want Walker incarcerated. “I don’t want to see her go to jail to be honest,” he said. The video showed the alleged act, but the statements from those involved showed the emotional conflict left behind.
Elias had been released from the hospital, per latest reports, and Walker remained charged as the case was awaiting its next court milestone. The full cause of the argument at the car wash had not been made public.
Author note: Last updated May 5, 2026.