Illinois Woman Allegedly Ran Over Boyfriend With SUV, Says He Was “Challenging” Her To Do It

Illinois police arrested a 48-year-old woman for attempted murder after she intentionally ran over her boyfriend, who later died, People reports.

Court records obtained by the Chicago Tribune and Times of Northwest Indiana reported that Raquel McCormick ran over her boyfriend, Thomas Brankin, during a heated argument on August 11, Brankin died from his injuries.

McCormick left the scene but then returned, and that is when she called 911.

Authorities asked McCormick if Brankin, 53, said anything when she came back to the scene, she replied, “He was just moaning…and I’m like: ‘Seriously, this is the way you wanna end this?”

A witness of the incident told police that McCormick told Brankin to get up off the ground and that he wasn’t really hurt.

Responding officers arrived on scene to find Brankin unresponsive on the ground behind McCormick’s business, Raquel’s Wine House.

He died at the Franciscan Health Dyer Hospital on Tuesday after succumbing to his injuries, which included injuries to his eye sockets, facial fractures, swelling, and bleeding of the brain as well as swelling to the brainstem.

McCormick faces attempted murder charges and has been formally charged Thursday with aggravated battery and domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon. It is possible that she can be charged with murder, according to both papers, dependent on the outcome of an autopsy on Brankin’s body.

McCormick told authorities she and Brankin had been dating for three years and had spent the earlier part of the day drinking and shopping before they returned to her business to check on it.

Apparently, an argument between the two ensued, McCormick says she tried to leave, and that is when Brankin stepped in front of her vehicle. She allegedly told police Brankin was “challenging” her by asking if she was going to hit him.

The witness at the scene says that McCormick’s SUV made a sharp turn towards Brankin, who hit the hood of the car with his hands. Allegedly, she backed up, stopped briefly, and then accelerated with speed, that is when the witness heard a “crash/thud noise,” the record states.

The witness told officers, McCormick fled the scene, but came back a short time later and began telling Brankin to “get up and that he wasn’t really hurt,” according to the records.

Brankin coached several sports at local high schools and spent the past two seasons as a volunteer assistant golf coach at Valparaiso University, where he earned his degree and was named academic all-conference, The Tribune reported.

McCormick is being held without bail and has not entered a plea to the charges she faces. It was unclear if she has an attorney.