Post by TheShadow on Jul 10, 2008 22:06:40 GMT -5
www.mercurynews.com
By Peter Hegarty
Alameda Journal
ALAMEDA — A driver who struck and killed a pedestrian on Shore Line Drive told police that he intentionally ran over the 78-year-old man because he was angry over his own family problems, investigators say.
Dionisio Roxas Molina, 36, also said that he deliberately tried to hit a woman with his sport utility vehicle just moments before he struck George "Joe" Marceline on Saturday, police said.
He allegedly did not know either victim.
Molina now is expected to face murder and attempted murder charges.
Along with allegedly running down and killing Marceline, Molina is accused of punching a female detective in the face while he was being interviewed Wednesday at the Alameda police station, as well as assaulting another detective.
Alameda police Lt. Art Fuentes declined to provide details about the family problems that Molina claimed made him upset.
Investigators noted that Molina did not know Marceline or the woman, and that he allegedly decided to hit them with his vehicle after he just happened to see them on the street.
"I hope to God that Joe never saw him coming," said Bonny MacDonald, a friend of Marceline for 51 years. "That he was looking the other way and that he never saw what was about to happen to him. That's all I can pray for."
Molina was driving a green 1997 Jeep Cherokee about 5:30 a.m. Saturday when the vehicle hopped a curb and continued traveling, hitting light poles and stop signs before he tried to run over the woman, police said.
The woman was among several people who called 911 after seeing the erratic SUV driver.
Police officers dispatched to the neighborhood found the body of Marceline — who had been taking his regular morning walk — lying in the 2000 block of Shore Line Drive.
The crime scene stretched about a half-mile, Fuentes said.
Molina's SUV was parked across from the nearby AMF Bowling Center and facing the direction from which it had been traveling.
Molina was still in the driver's seat, police said.
Molina did not appear drunk and initially claimed he had no memory of what happened, Alameda police traffic Sgt. Ted Horlbeck said.
As a result, investigators first thought Molina may have had an undiagnosed medical or mental issue that could have contributed to the accident, and they took him to Alameda Hospital, where Molina remained under observation until Wednesday.
"I don't know what to say," said Virginia Savella Harper, a friend of Marceline. "I feel sorry for everyone involved, including the driver. I don't understand why something like this would happen."
An Alameda resident, Molina works for a medical office in downtown Oakland, police records show.
He is married, with a 4-year-old child and an infant, according to a family friend.
Marceline, who also lived in Alameda, was a retired employee of the Del Monte food company. His survivors include an adult son.
Harper called Marceline "Raider Joe" since both were passionate fans of the Oakland Raiders.
"He was such a dear, dear friend," said Harper, who would often meet Marceline in the parking lot for a pre-game party. "He was so kind. He was like a dad to me."
Harper said Marceline would often car-pool to Oakland Raiders games with her brothers.
They would meet at 2 a.m. and set up their tail-gate party under the McAfee Coliseum sign, cooking and getting things ready for the fans who would arrive later.
At Christmas time, Marceline would distribute Raiders-themed gifts to his friends at the gatherings.
"He was a Raiders Santa Claus," Harper said. "Hundreds of people knew him. I cannot tell you how much he's going to be missed."
Reach Peter Hegarty at phegarty@bayareanewsgroup.com or 510-748-1654.
Memorial
A memorial service for George "Joe" Marceline is set for 2 p.m. today at Fouche's Hudson Funeral Home, 3665 Telegraph Ave., Oakland.
By Peter Hegarty
Alameda Journal
ALAMEDA — A driver who struck and killed a pedestrian on Shore Line Drive told police that he intentionally ran over the 78-year-old man because he was angry over his own family problems, investigators say.
Dionisio Roxas Molina, 36, also said that he deliberately tried to hit a woman with his sport utility vehicle just moments before he struck George "Joe" Marceline on Saturday, police said.
He allegedly did not know either victim.
Molina now is expected to face murder and attempted murder charges.
Along with allegedly running down and killing Marceline, Molina is accused of punching a female detective in the face while he was being interviewed Wednesday at the Alameda police station, as well as assaulting another detective.
Alameda police Lt. Art Fuentes declined to provide details about the family problems that Molina claimed made him upset.
Investigators noted that Molina did not know Marceline or the woman, and that he allegedly decided to hit them with his vehicle after he just happened to see them on the street.
"I hope to God that Joe never saw him coming," said Bonny MacDonald, a friend of Marceline for 51 years. "That he was looking the other way and that he never saw what was about to happen to him. That's all I can pray for."
Molina was driving a green 1997 Jeep Cherokee about 5:30 a.m. Saturday when the vehicle hopped a curb and continued traveling, hitting light poles and stop signs before he tried to run over the woman, police said.
The woman was among several people who called 911 after seeing the erratic SUV driver.
Police officers dispatched to the neighborhood found the body of Marceline — who had been taking his regular morning walk — lying in the 2000 block of Shore Line Drive.
The crime scene stretched about a half-mile, Fuentes said.
Molina's SUV was parked across from the nearby AMF Bowling Center and facing the direction from which it had been traveling.
Molina was still in the driver's seat, police said.
Molina did not appear drunk and initially claimed he had no memory of what happened, Alameda police traffic Sgt. Ted Horlbeck said.
As a result, investigators first thought Molina may have had an undiagnosed medical or mental issue that could have contributed to the accident, and they took him to Alameda Hospital, where Molina remained under observation until Wednesday.
"I don't know what to say," said Virginia Savella Harper, a friend of Marceline. "I feel sorry for everyone involved, including the driver. I don't understand why something like this would happen."
An Alameda resident, Molina works for a medical office in downtown Oakland, police records show.
He is married, with a 4-year-old child and an infant, according to a family friend.
Marceline, who also lived in Alameda, was a retired employee of the Del Monte food company. His survivors include an adult son.
Harper called Marceline "Raider Joe" since both were passionate fans of the Oakland Raiders.
"He was such a dear, dear friend," said Harper, who would often meet Marceline in the parking lot for a pre-game party. "He was so kind. He was like a dad to me."
Harper said Marceline would often car-pool to Oakland Raiders games with her brothers.
They would meet at 2 a.m. and set up their tail-gate party under the McAfee Coliseum sign, cooking and getting things ready for the fans who would arrive later.
At Christmas time, Marceline would distribute Raiders-themed gifts to his friends at the gatherings.
"He was a Raiders Santa Claus," Harper said. "Hundreds of people knew him. I cannot tell you how much he's going to be missed."
Reach Peter Hegarty at phegarty@bayareanewsgroup.com or 510-748-1654.
Memorial
A memorial service for George "Joe" Marceline is set for 2 p.m. today at Fouche's Hudson Funeral Home, 3665 Telegraph Ave., Oakland.