Maria Josefina Jimenez, 22, was struck near Hubbard Street early Thursday morning. Los Angeles police are still trying to figure out if the victim, who goes by "Josie," jumped from the car she was in, or if she was pushed out.
Officials are looking for 26-year-old Ricardo Jimenez, who was driving the victim's red Toyota Corolla when the two left a local tattoo parlor before midnight. Authorities say the two have the same last name, but they are not related.
Detectives say he caused a disturbance and was berating the victim in front of others at the tattoo parlor.
"She went there with Rick in her red car with her girlfriend. While they were there, Rick became very demeaning and abusive toward her, mostly emotionally, very insecure, acting jealous about the tattoo artist that was there," said Lt. Paul Vernon with the Los Angeles Police Department. "The girlfriend became so uncomforatble that she left. At some point, the two then left."
Investigators are trying to locate the Toyota, which has the California license plate 6NED426.
According to a witness, the victim was a passenger in a red car that was swerving side to side. The witness said the passenger door of the red car opened, and the woman came out of the car and onto the lanes of the freeway.
The witness pulled over and tried to slow down traffic and render help, but the victim was struck several times by cars along the freeway and was killed. Authorities say the driver of the first car that struck her stopped, but other drivers may have been unaware that they struck the victim.
Detectives have eliminated the victim's legal husband from any involvement in her death. While the two are married, they are estranged, and the husband had come to police to report her missing. She was in a a very public, romantic relationship with Ricardo Jimenez, police said.
Detectives believe Ricardo Jimenez has abandoned the red Toyota. They believe he is driving a black, two-door Honda Civic with chromed rims, and the California license plate 6RJG807. He lives in North Hollywood and is believed to be in the Los Angeles area.
Police say he is 5 feet 10 inches tall, has several tattoos, including the word "Hustler" on his neck and "West Coast"on his right forearm.
Anyone with information was asked to call Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222- TIPS.
