Police looking for man who ran over West Palm Beach motel manager in parking lot

WEST PALM BEACH — A motel manager is in the hospital after she tried to stop a car from fleeing the El Patio parking lot with a guest in hot pursuit.

By the looks of the video taken from the motel's surveillance camera, the guest may have been injured too, but he left the scene before police could talk to him.

That was last week, and now West Palm Beach Police detectives are asking for the public's help to find both the missing guest and the driver of the car.

"It possibly could be a drug transaction gone wrong," Detective Craig Bryan said this morning. "We don't know."

The scene played out last Wednesday about 9:28 p.m. in the El Patio parking lot at 3911 Broadway.

Bryan says early video shows guest Daniel Cicioni, 47, flagging down a man driving a green sedan into the motel's parking lot.

The two men then go into Cicioni's room. But seconds later, the unidentified man comes running out of the room and gets into the green car. Cicioni is running after him, Bryan said.

Video then shows manager Patricia Chandler, 56, run out to help Cicioni. They both grab the driver's side door and open it before the driver backs up, knocking both to the ground, dragging them backwards into the street and running over them both.

Cicioni's home address is listed in Riviera Beach, but police have not been able to locate him.

To view video click: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid40682387001?bctid=78855425001 

If anyone has information about the suspect or where to find Cicioni please call West Palm Beach Police Department at 561-822-1900 or if you'd like to stay anonymous and be eligible for up to $1,000 REWARD call Crime Stoppers at 800-458-TIPS.

(source: palmbeachpost.com)