A frightening incident occurred during the early afternoon on a recent Sunday in San Mateo, California, when a Mill Valley man carried out an apparent assault on his wife during an argument while he was driving. Thankfully, the incident was witnessed by other drivers who came to the aid of the woman. The gravity of this attack was such that he has now been arraigned on two felony counts, one of attempted murder and the other domestic violence. He is in police custody and has not been granted bail, and this event could leave the wife considering filing for a protective order from her spouse.
It has been reported that he was driving east along the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge when the argument escalated to the point where, it is alleged, he attempted to crash the car into the Bay. When a barrier foiled this plan, he reportedly dragged his wife out of the vehicle and tried instead to toss her over the bridge. A number of drivers saw the attack take place, and they were able to get to the woman just in time to save her from tragedy. The man plunged some 15 feet into the Bay and was rescued by the U.S Coast Guard, following which he was arrested.
There is no word of whether the man has been physically injured in any way. His wife sustained a large gash to her face which required a number of stitches, although it is not yet clear how the injury occurred. It has been reported that the man had been suffering from some mental distress in the time leading up to the attack, exhibiting signs of paranoia and fearing that people were trying to break into the family home to kill him. The couple have been married eight years, and have three children.
Whatever the reason for this man’s actions, no individual needs to allow themselves to be treated in such a way. Male or female, California residents do have rights to take action after being a victim of domestic violence or abuse. In some cases, it may become appropriate to file for a protection order in order to provide a layer of security in the aftermath of a domestic violence incident as a spouse decides what further steps they wish to take.
Source: abc7, Man accused of trying to throw wife off San Mateo bridge, No author, Dec. 17, 2013
