Man's Attempt to Get Friend to Stay at Party Kills Him

A birthday party in California turned tragic after the guest of honor was run over and killed by his friend. Police say Jonathan Carlyle Merkley was celebrating his 34th birthday early Sunday at a hotel near San Diego when a woman decided to leave the party. Merkley wanted her to stay and reportedly walked toward her BMW and laid down in front of what the Orange County Register describes as a moving car. The woman didn’t stop, ran him over, and kept going. Police cite witnesses as saying both had been drinking, Fox 5 reports.

Merkley, who suffered major chest trauma, died about 45 minutes later at a hospital. Police tracked the woman down and a car that "may have been involved" was impounded, cops tell the San Diego Union-Tribune. The woman was not arrested but police said on Tuesday that the investigation is continuing. "There's a lot we still need to find out," says San Diego Police Sgt. Tim Underwood. (More birthday party stories.)