OC man tries to keep woman at party, gets run over, killed in San Diego, police say

SAN DIEGO (KABC) -- A Garden Grove man attempting to stop a woman from leaving his birthday party in San Diego was run 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 in the 6600 block of Mira Mesa Boulevard 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 drove over Merkley and left, 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.