SPRINGDALE — Jose Mabte said as he turned in to the Elmdale Manor Apartments on Wednesday night, his car’s lights hit two men. One, he said, appeared to be stabbing the other over and over again.

Mabte, manager of the apartment complex, witnessed what police said was the multiple stabbing death of businessman Jesus Villalobos, 48. Mabte said after the car’s lights hit the men, the one on top stopped, jumped on a bicycle and rode away east on Huntsville Avenue.

Mabte called 911.

Villalobos died in the apartment’s parking lot on Morrison Place after running from an attack at his business, Latino Tires, 404 N. Campbell Drive. Police received several 911 calls at 6:30 p.m. of a fight in progress near the intersection of Huntsville Avenue and Morrison Place.

Villalobos was dead when officers found him, according to a news release.

Juan Pablo Perez-Lopez, 27, of 1713 Theodore Drive in Springdale, was arrested Wednesday in connection with capital murder.

The stabbing occurred during an argument over a vehicle repair, according to a police news release. The business, also called Latino Mechanica, was repairing Perez-Lopez’s vehicle.

Perez-Lopez said the business hadn’t lived up to promises to complete the repair work, according to police reports. Perez-Lopez claimed Villalobos pulled a knife he took away, then used to stab Villalobos in self-defense.

However, police said in the news release, Perez-Lopez took the hunting knife with him to the shop. Villalobos was first stabbed in the office of the business. He then fled, running across Campbell, through the parking lot of Rick and Betty’s Phillips 66 Station, across Huntsville to Elmdale apartments. Blood droplets could be seen Thursday, marking his path.

Elmer Posada said Thursday he heard a man screaming for help and saw Villalobos running across Huntsville, pursued by a man on a bicycle. The man on the bike caught up with Villalobos and started hitting him, Posada said. Posada said he called police.

Posada said he didn’t see a knife.

A police officer responding to the call spotted Perez-Lopez riding a bicycle at 1806 Huntsville, according to police records. Perez-Lopez dropped a knife when the officer stopped him and pulled his gun.

The knife, Perez-Lopez’s hands and the bicycle brake lever had blood on them, according to the report. Perez-Lopez was taken into custody and interviewed by police.

Three witnesses, including two junior high school students, were taken to the Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division to be interviewed by officers, according to records.

Villalobos was the owner of Latino Tires, according to a Springdale business license. It opened in 2004.

He also owned the business’ building, according to Washington County property records, as well as property at 2013 W. Huntsville. Employees at the Huntsville Avenue location said they were told not to say anything by Villalobos’ brother, Jesus Cecilio Villalobos.

The victim lived at 2928 Brandy Lane in Springdale, according to property records. Jason Stamps, who also lives on Brandy Lane, said he knows the Villalobos family.

“I was a customer of his two or three times,” Stamps said. “He always treated me right.”

Perez-Lopez has been arrested several times by Springdale police, according to department records. None were for felony offenses. Several were in connection with failure to appear or outstanding warrants from other cities in connection with failure to appear. One arrest was in connection with driving while intoxicated, one in connection with third-degree battery, one in connection with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one in connection with theft by receiving.

Perez-Lopez had an warrant from Elkins in connection with failure to appear when he was arrested Wednesday.

Perez-Lopez was in the Washington County Detention Center on Thursday in lieu of $1,205 bond for the warrant, but no bond was set for capital murder.

Jose Lopez Bribiesca contributed to this report