The City of Greenville recorded its first homicide of 2007 early Saturday morning on the Bypass.

According to Greenville Police Department Spokesman Anthony Barganier, officers responded to the bridge over the railroad adjacent to Bob & Wayne's Auto Repair between 1:30 and 1:42 a.m. When they arrived they found Jeffrey Powell, 44, laying in the street.

&#8220Officers found him laying in the roadway and he was pronounced dead on the scene,” Barganier said. &#8220It looked like a car had hit the railing and damaged the car severely enough that Powell was pulled from the car.”

Following the initial investigation, officers arrested Dexter Hawkins, 33, and charged with murder in the first degree and felony leaving the scene of an accident.

Barganier said the matter remains under investigation and further charges may be filed again Hawkins.

&#8220Our crime scene investigators are going to reconstruct the event that lead to Powell's death,” he said. &#8220Right now, everything remains under investigation.