Woman in Hollywood Dies After Road Rage Incident, Allegedly Crushed by Passenger Driving Her Car
A 26-year-old woman was killed on Tuesday in a road rage incident that occurred on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, multiple outlets reported.
According to CBS Los Angeles, police said that the victim, identified as Sophia Ardalan, a nightclub manager, was crushed by her own Mercedes outside her apartment building just before midnight.
Ardalan had been driving her Mercedes with a passenger, identified as 27-year-old Samantha Cunha, when she bumped into a motorcyclist on Sunset Boulevard. According to ABC7, both Ardalan and the motorcycle driver made their way to the 1300 block of Martel Avenue, stopping outside of an apartment complex.
Both Canyon News and ABC7 reported that one of the women exited the Mercedes to confront the motorcyclist when a reported argument ensued.
As Ardalan began to drive the Mercedes away, she “was ejected, fell out of the car somehow, striking a tree,” LAPD Capt. Brian Wendling told both outlets.
Ardalan was crushed between the tree and her car, per Canyon News, as Cunha got into the driver seat and put the Mercedes in reverse. In the process, she allegedly ran over Ardalan.
Lucis Frader, a nearby resident, ran outside when he heard screaming but found that Ardalan was unresponsive, according to ABC7.
“She was breathing very heavily. I tried saying to her are you OK, are you OK, can you hear me, do you know your name? There was just no response,” he told the news station.
Cunha fled the scene but was later arrested by police on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, all three outlets reported.
Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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The motorcyclist remained on the scene and cooperated with investigators, police told the outlets. He said that he did not know either of the women prior to the incident.
Ardalan’s mother, Gloria, told CBS Los Angeles that Ardalan had recently become friends with Cunha. She leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter.
“She had a loving heart, a big heart,” Gloria said. “She loved people, and people loved her. She was very gracious and hardworking and just a very devoted mother.”
