Woman Jumps To Her Death After Running Down Estranged Husband, 2 Others In Martinez Crosswalk
MARTINEZ (CBS SF) -- A woman who intentionally struck her estranged husband and two other people with a car following a family court hearing in Martinez Monday morning was found dead minutes later after apparently jumping off the Benicia Bridge, police said.
Martinez Police said it received a call of a injury accident at Court and Main streets outside the county courthouse. Witnesses told police a woman had intentionally struck three pedestrians in the crosswalk and fled the scene.
Investigators determined a male victim had just left a court hearing at the nearby Family Law Center and was crossing the street with two female friends when the victim's estranged wife accelerated her vehicle toward the them, police said.
The car struck all three pedestrians, and the woman then stopped, reversed direction and hit one of the victims a second time before fleeing, police said.
Bystanders tried breaking the driver-side window of the car to stop the woman from leaving the scene. Before the incident, another driver said the woman hit his car and caused him to hit another car.
"Something hit me from behind and I lost control," said Wilfredo Manuntag. "Hit the car in front of me, and the guy in front of me hit the car in front of him."
The three victims were taken to the hospital with moderate injuries and were expected to recover.
About 20 minutes later, Benicia Police received a report that a woman had jumped off the Benicia Bridge. Martinez Police, Benicia Police, the California Highway Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the area and found a woman's body in the water under the bridge, according to police.
A vehicle matching the description of the hit-and-run vehicle was found on the bridge and police said based on all indications the woman who jumped from the bridgbe was also the driver of vehicle that hit the pedestrians.
The woman's name is being withheld until the coroner's office provide a positive identification.
