CA man tries to keep woman at party, gets run over, killed police say

SAN DIEGO -- A California man attempting to stop a woman from leaving his birthday party in San Diego was ran over by a car and killed, according to police.

San Diego police said 34-year-old Jonathan Merkley, of Garden Grove, and his friends were drinking at the Staybridge Hotel when the incident happened at about 1:20 a.m.

Investigators said a woman at the party decided to leave and began to drive away. In an attempt to stop the woman from leaving, Merkley got on the ground in front of the woman's BMW, police stated.

The woman then ran over Merkley and drove off, according to authorities.

Merkley suffered a major chest injury and died at the hospital.

Authorities said the woman had been identified, but was not in custody.