Proposal Rejected, Man Attempts to Run Down Girlfriend

Nov. 13, 2010— -- A California man's rage at having his marriage proposal rejected by his girlfriend almost turned deadly this week when he allegedly tried to run her down with his car.

Mario Francisco Hernandez, 22, showed up at a Burger Stop restaurant in Pico Rivera, Calif., on Wednesday with flowers and "Will you marry me?" written on his car. His girlfriend, who police have not identified, apparently said no.

After approaching the 21-year-old mother of his two children, Hernandez then returned with his 1987 Toyota Supra and, according to Det. Gabriel Ramirez of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, he "tried to run over the female with the vehicle."

Witnesses reported that the car blew out two tires after jumping the curb and barely missed a pedestrian.

"I could see from the window, the car coming down Passons full-speed," Vicki Mejia, a witness to the incident, told ABC-7 in Los Angeles.

"The car sprinted up. Looked like it was flying. I thought it was something out of a movie, to be honest with you, and then I was like, this is not a movie," she added.

Ramirez, who said he knows the couple, said that they have been through hard times. The couple has two children, a 5-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter, and with low income, the family has been living with Hernandez's parents.

Hernandez was in custody today in lieu of $30,000 bail and the woman is in a women's shelter with a protective order.

Investigators are reporting that Hernandez, who briefly served in the military, was not intoxicated at the time of the incident. He has no apparent previous charges in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties.

"At this time I don't have any information with regards to prior history of domestic violence or violence at all," Ramirez said.

Hernandez is facing a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. His arraignment is set for Monday.