Woman held after 2 people hit by SUV during protest

Sheriff’s deputy shot at vehicle before it sped from scene

A 26-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of hitting two people with an SUV Friday night during a San Jose protest, fleeing the scene after a sheriff’s deputy fired once at the vehicle. Just after 9 p.m. and hours into a tense demonstration against the death of Minnesota man George Floyd, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office deputies and protesters watched as a Dodge Durango entered the blocked-off intersection at Sixth and Santa Clara streets. The SUV first drove toward a group of protesters and then tried to make a U-turn, running over two men in reverse, video of the incident shows. Believing that the hit was intentional, a Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputy fired at the fleeing SUV, according to San Jose police Officer Gina Tepoorten. As it drove away, a San Jose police officer at the scene was able to record the plate of the SUV, Tepoorten said. The two men were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and have been released, according to police; no deputies were injured. Protester Saul Duarte was filming the scene around 9:05 p.m. as the SUV plowed into the protesters and sped off. “The vehicle was coming my way and I ran to the side,” he said. “The whole crowd started chasing the car, but it got away. After that, everyone surrounded the two injured people and tried helping, but the cops started tear-gassing us.” Over the next day, detectives linked the vehicle to Bianca Orozco, 26, at her residence in San Jose, Tepoorten said. She was arrested Saturday and booked into Santa Clara County jail on suspicion of attempted murder. She remains in custody on no bail status, according to county jail records. The San Jose Police Department is investigating the incident, as is the District Attorney’s Office. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Isidro Bagon or Detective Ramon Sanchez of the San Jose Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 408277-5283.