A 32-year-old man laid down in front of a car driven by a female friend, and was killed as the woman drove away from his birthday party just after midnight, police said.

SORRENTO VALLEY (CNS) - An Orange County man laid down in front of a car driven by his female friend, and was killed as the woman drove away from his birthday party just after midnight, police said.

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Jonathan Carlyle Merkley, of Garden Grove, was celebrating his 34th birthday night at the Staybridge Suites hotel, in the 6600 block of Mira Mesa Boulevard, at about 12:30 a.m.



Witnesses said both had been drinking alcohol with friends before the incident. Merkley was trying to prevent the woman from leaving, walked into the path of her BMW and laid down in front of the moving car, according to San Diego Police Sgt. Tom Sullivan.