SAN PABLO, CA – A disturbing incident in California has led to a woman being charged with murder after she allegedly used her vehicle as a weapon, causing the death of another woman, according to local police.
San Pablo Police Department officers responded to a call of a vehicle-pedestrian collision on the afternoon of December 8. They arrived at the scene to find a 60-year-old woman had been hit by a vehicle, driven by 39-year-old Dene Blakely from Richmond, California.
Investigations revealed that Blakely had accused the victim of stealing a package from her home. It is alleged that Blakely, in response, intentionally drove into the victim.
The victim, who suffered severe injuries, was immediately transported to a local hospital. Despite medical intervention and surgery, she succumbed to her injuries on December 23.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office initially charged Blakely with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon on December 12. However, following the victim’s death, the charges were escalated to murder. Blakely is currently detained at the West County Detention Facility in Richmond, with bail set at $1 million.
The case remains under active investigation.