Man charged after girlfriend dies jumping from car during police chase

PIMA COUNTY, Ariz. (Scripps News Tucson/Court TV) — An Arizona man is facing multiple charges after a woman died when she jumped from his car.

Authorities said 54-year-old Debra Murietta called police Saturday evening to report a domestic violence incident involving 36-year-old William Holloway.

William Holloway (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)

According to a news release , Murietta said she was in the car with her boyfriend driving, and that he refused to pull over and let her out after he had taken an “illegal drug.”

Deputies with the Pima County Sheriff’s Office attempted to pull the car over, but Holloway refused to stop, leading deputies to chase his car at varying speeds up to 45 miles per hour. The pursuit ended when Murietta jumped from the moving car. Authorities said she died at a local hospital.

Holloway’s car was later found with a flat tire. He was taken into custody Sunday on multiple charges, including first-degree homicide and domestic violence kidnapping.

Scripps News Tucson , an E.W. Scripps Company, contributed to this report.