Woman Smashing into Cars in OC Parking Lot

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Woman who smashed cars in OC parking lot was under influence of drugs, sheriff’s deputies say

KABC — Eyewitness video shows a woman in an SUV recklessly smashing into multiple cars parked at a Mission Viejo business complex. She also tried to run over several bystanders who were trying to protect their own vehicles.

Authorities now allege the woman, identified as 33-year-old Aria Alexandria Martin, was under the influence of drugs.

Witnesses say after Martin was arrested, she was brought back to the parking lot so she could be identified – and she was laughing.

“I asked the deputy ‘Why did she do that?’ And he said that she was having a bad day,” said witness Suha Sleibi, who had to dodge out of the way of the car.

The incident unfolded Thursday afternoon.

Videos show an SUV hitting multiple cars in the parking lot, smashing into one, then reversing and driving into another, and repeating the pattern several times.

On one occasion a man tried to stand in front of her to protect his own car but she nearly ran him over. On another, a woman who was standing near her own parked car also had to run for cover.

“I was shaking,” said Christina Patane, who witnessed and filmed the incident. “I mean, I sounded like a maniac screaming. I was afraid somebody was going to die.”

In the video Patane can be heard yelling at her boss to be careful as he approaches the woman and tries to open the door. She almost runs him over and then takes off.

Simon Wong says he narrowly avoided being run over.

“Yes, definitely aiming for me… she floored her car and she literally missed me by an inch.”

After she fled the scene, sheriff’s deputies chased after her and took her into custody following a half-hour standoff on the 5 Freeway.

She was booked for driving under the influence of drugs and assault with a deadly weapon.

“Anytime somebody chooses to use their vehicle as a weapon and tries to hurt another person, that’s where that charge would come into play,” said Sgt. Mike Woodroof with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

If you have been injured in a road rage incident in Glendale or any other place, an experienced personal injury lawyer can make you assure that your rights are protected. The Law Offices of Burg & Brock has offices throughout California.

When individuals are harmed or killed in traffic accidents, and another party is at fault, full compensation is not always granted, despite the circumstances. Skilled legal representation from a car or truck accident attorney is typically a must in these situations.

Photo credit: ABC7.com

Legal Defenders at the Law Offices of Burg and Brock has helped countless families and individuals obtain the compensation they need to deal with expenses and move on with their lives. For a police report or other information, call us today at (818) 405-9091.

What California law says after a car accident

Reporting requirements after a California collision

California imposes reporting duties on drivers that are separate from any insurance claim.

A report must be filed with the DMV on form SR-1 within ten days of a collision that caused any injury, any death, or more than one thousand dollars in property damage to any one person. This duty applies regardless of fault, applies even when police responded and wrote their own report, and is not satisfied by notifying an insurance company. With current repair costs, most collisions that involve a body shop meet the damage threshold.

A separate rule covers collisions causing injury or death. The driver must make a written report to the California Highway Patrol, or to the city police department where the collision happened in a city, within twenty four hours. The statute states this duty for every injury or fatal collision. In practice, where officers responded and completed a report at the scene, that report generally satisfies the agency’s need, but a driver who assumes this without confirming it is relying on practice rather than on the text of the law.

Missing the DMV deadline can lead to suspension of driving privileges, an outcome unrelated to who caused the collision.

California filing deadlines for injury and death claims

In California, a lawsuit for personal injury caused by another person’s negligence generally must be filed within two years of the injury, under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. A claim for a death caused by another’s wrongful act or neglect runs under the same two-year period.

Shorter deadlines apply in specific situations. If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, a written claim must normally be presented to that public entity within six months. Claims involving minors, injuries that are not discovered right away, and certain defendants can follow different timelines.

Which deadline applies depends on the facts of each situation, and the standard two-year period does not govern every claim.

Your Rights After a Car Accident in California

A collision like this one raises questions about fault, insurance and medical costs, usually before anyone has had time to think about them. These guides explain how California handles them.