A woman in Mission Viejo, California has been arrested after intentionally crashing her SUV into multiple other vehicles and attempting to run over people who tried to stop her, Action News 5 reported.
Thursday afternoon, a woman in a black SUV began deliberately ramming into other vehicles in the parking lot of an office building. When pedestrians attempted to intervene, the attacker began to aim for them as well. According to the NBC affiliate, eleven cars have been damaged.
“She was doing reverse, forward, reverse, forward, you know, so she kind of knew what she was doing,” witness Christina Patane said in an interview.
Many who worked within the building next to the parking lot heard the commotion, and came outside. While some began recording the driver, others tried to get the woman to stop. When those pedestrians attempted to intervene, the attacker began to aim for them as well.
“I did not think she was going to hit me, honestly,” one of the victims explained. “I thought by standing there, that was going to deter her. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect, and she came charging at me and that’s when I jumped.”
Eventually, the driver fled the scene at high speeds, and California Highway Patrol was able to stop and make the arrest of Aria Martin. The 33-year-old is now facing charges of driving under the influence of drugs, felony assault with a deadly weapon, felony vandalism, and reckless driving. Martin is currently being held by Orange County on a $25,000 bail.