Motorists driving southbound on the I-15 in Coronado Wednesday called the California Highway Patrol around 1:45 a.m. to report a “mannequin” on the road. It turns out the mannequin was the body of a woman who was killed during a hit-and-run.
According to NBC San Diego, investigators said the woman, whose age and name have not been released, died of severe blunt force trauma. CHP said she was struck just once, but believe she was dragged over a distance of several feet before the driver drove away.
Clothing, several canvas bags and furniture were strewn across the freeway near where her body was found. Authorities have reportedly not been able to confirm whether the woman is the same pedestrian mentioned in earlier reports about a woman with a shopping cart walking along the freeway just one mile north of where the body was found.
Around 5:15 a.m., Coronado Police reportedly stopped a driver several miles away from the scene for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. One of the officers said he noticed “flesh debris” on the bumper of the green Kia Rio, and that it had damage consistent with with a hit-and-run, NBC notes.
According to ABC10, officers took the 18-year-old motorist into custody, along with a 22-year-old man who had been riding in the passenger’s side of the car. The driver was reportedly not charged in the hit-and-run, pending further investigation.
The men were reportedly questioned briefly and released on their own recognizance.
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