April 28--A 27-year-old woman from Forest View has been charged with felony criminal damage to property after she allegedly crashed her car on purpose into the car of an ex-boyfriend, Riverside police said.
According to a news release from the Riverside Police Department, the man, driving a 2011 Hyundai, was stopped Monday morning at a red light on eastbound 31st Street at First Avenue near Brookfield Zoo in Riverside. Police said the woman, Sophia Sanchez, driving a 2004 Saturn, allegedly pulled in front of the man, put her car into reverse and intentionally drove into his car about 35 mph, causing extensive damage to both vehicles.
Officers investigating the incident determined that the woman and man had been arguing the night before and earlier that day. Police said Sanchez, who had followed the man as he drove to work, "wanted to disable his car so she could talk with him," according to the release.
Sanchez, of the 4500 block of Kenilworth Avenue, also was charged with driving too fast for conditions, police said. No one was injured. Both cars had to be towed from the accident site.
"This was extremely reckless," Riverside police Chief Thomas Weitzel said. "Traffic at the time ... was very heavy and the potential for other vehicles being damaged or other individuals injured was a high possibility."
