Woman dies in Hollywood road rage brawl when her own car runs her over, cops say

A bizarre sequence of events in a Hollywood road-rage clash early Tuesday left a 27-year-old woman dead after she was crushed by her own Mercedes-Benz, KCBS reported.

The Mercedes bumped a motorcycle on Sunset Boulevard and the motorcyclist followed it to the 1300 block of North Martel Avenue, KTTV reported.

Two women got out of the Mercedes to confront the motorcyclist about midnight, KABC reported. Then the women got back into the Mercedes to leave.

“The car began to drive away,” said Capt. Brian Wendling of the Los Angeles Police Department, KCBS reported. “The driver was ejected, fell out of the car somehow, striking a tree.”

The still moving Mercedes ran over Sophia Ardalan, killing her, KTLA reported on Wednesday, revising earlier accounts of her death. Her passenger, Samantha Cunha, also 27, then tried to escape, California Highway Patrol officers say.

“She actually tried to get into the car again and flee the scene, but the car was stuck,” said witness Mark Martinez, according to the station. Cunha ran away and was arrested later Tuesday on suspicion of hit-and-run, Los Angeles police say.

Ardalan, who lived in the neighborhood near the crash, has a 4-year-old daughter, her family told KTLA.

The motorcyclist, who stayed at the scene, is cooperating with authorities, KABC reported. Los Angeles police said it is not clear whether drugs or alcohol were involved.

This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 8:26 AM with the headline "Woman dies in Hollywood road rage brawl when her own car runs her over, cops say."