A suspect remains in jail days after she allegedly attempted to fatally run over her boyfriend in the parking lot of California’s Win-River Resort & Casino.
The suspect, Britney Matthews, 26, “narrowly” missed driving into the victim, officials said. She allegedly aimed her truck at him and sped in his direction.
The incident began when the couple arrived together at the Redding, Calif. casino last Friday.
The pair left the vehicle together. Once in the lot, she allegedly assaulted him repeatedly. He started to walk away from her.
Matthews went back into her vehicle. She started the engine and looked where he was heading.
Matthews aimed the vehicle directly at the victim and continued at a high rate of speed,” the Shasta County Sheriff’s office said in a statement. “The victim turned around and was narrowly able to avoid being struck by running out of the path of Matthew’s vehicle.”
Matthews never applied the brakes, deputies said. Nor did she swerve to avoid hitting the victim.
Vehicles Destroyed, Heavily Damaged
As her vehicle sped along, it eventually struck three other parked vehicles. Each was said to have “major damage” from the impact, the sheriff’s office said.
Matthew’s vehicle also struck a John Deere “Gator.” The Gator was owned by the casino. It was “destroyed” from the impact, the statement added.
No one was injured. None of the vehicles were occupied when her vehicle struck them.
It is unclear why Matthews allegedly tried to drive into the victim. The two had been dating. But it is uncertain if the two got into an argument and, if so, what it was over.
After deputies investigated, Matthews was charged with attempted homicide, vandalism, and domestic violence, according to online jail records.
If convicted on these charges, she could face many years in prison.
Matthews was examined by a health professional after her arrest.
Later, she was placed in the Shasta County Jail on Friday. Bail was set at $500,000.
Before arresting Matthews, deputies viewed casino surveillance video, spoke to eyewitnesses, and spoke to both the victim and the suspect.
Attempted Homicide Explained
To prove attempted homicide, California prosecutors need to show Matthews acted willfully and deliberately to kill her boyfriend, according to online sources.
Under state law, prosecutors would need to show she made a “direct step” toward killing the victim. Also, they need to prove she “intended” to kill him.
So, the prosecutor’s case needs to basically show her plan was to end her boyfriend’s life, not to only injure him.
Unlike with murder, the victim does not have to die as a result of her actions.
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