SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A husband and wife were behind bars Thursday in connection with the death of a 32-year-old woman -- their former landlord -- who died a day after being flung to the ground while trying to hold on to the hood of a van being driven down a street in the Mountain View neighborhood.
Cory Skellion, 27, was booked into jail on suspicion of murder, while his wife, Brooklyn Broadway, 25, was jailed on suspicion of accessory to murder, according to Lt. Jud Campbell. Skellion was driving the van.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, San Diego police received a call about a vehicle striking a pedestrian at Imperial Avenue and 45th Street. Officers from the Southeastern Division responded and found a woman in the roadway suffering from major trauma, the lieutenant said.
Paramedics took the woman to a hospital for treatment. Her name was not immediately released.
As officers began their preliminary investigation, they gathered information indicating her injuries were not the result of an accidental traffic collision. They determined that she had been holding on to the hood of a van as it was being driven down the street, Campbell said.
"The van made an evasive maneuver in the roadway, slinging the female to the ground and causing her injuries," Campbell said. "The van then left the scene."
Southeastern Investigations conducted a follow-up investigation, treating the event as an assault with a deadly weapon, Campbell said. The woman was pronounced dead on Saturday.
Homicide detectives assumed responsibility of the investigation and determined that immediately before the radio call, the victim and suspects became involved in a confrontation near a residence in the 4100 block of Jamul Avenue. The suspects had previously rented a house from the victim, Campbell said.
During the confrontation, the suspects bumped the victim with a van they were driving. She then grabbed the hood, and they drove away with her on the car. She was then slung off the car and injured.
About 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, Broadway was located and arrested at 3200 Harbor Ave. About 1 p.m. that day, Skellion was arrested during a traffic stop at 4000 Genesee Ave.
The investigation was ongoing.
Anyone with information about the crime was asked to call the SDPD Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
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