Driver Dies After Fistfight; Man Jailed

A pedestrian who punched the driver of a car that he said hit him in a Glendale crosswalk Sunday faces possible felony charges after the driver died.

The pedestrian, Charles Denman Kountze, 34, of Glendale was arrested about 3:30 p.m. Sunday on suspicion of felony assault. Witnesses said Kountze struck the driver of the car, Peter Eugene Grepo, 42, while the two were arguing about the accident.

Grepo of Eagle Rock collapsed a few minutes later and died at Glendale Adventist Medical Center about eight hours after the altercation.

Kountze told police that Grepo’s car struck him while he was crossing the southbound 134 Freeway off-ramp at Pacific Avenue.

But two passengers in Grepo’s car said the car did not actually hit Kountze. They said that Kountze placed his hands on the hood of Grepo’s 1986 Ford Thunderbird, yelled that he had been hit and insisted that Grepo pull over.