PHOENIX – Witnesses pulled a man out of a pickup truck and detained him for police after he appeared to intentionally drive onto a Phoenix sidewalk, killing the wife of a deputy sheriff and injuring his 11-year-old daughter authorities said Thursday.
Court documents show Trent Ferree told homicide detectives that he drove around the area "looking for a victim to run over" and "claimed it was the combination of drinking alcohol and hearing vibrations and voices that made him want to murder someone."
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said the victims were the wife and daughter of a veteran deputy sergeant.
Phoenix police identified the woman killed as Amy Chervenak, 47, but didn't immediately release the girl's name.
The victims didn't know Ferree, who lives in Mesa, according to police.
Witnesses said the woman and her daughter were walking back to their home after going to their mailbox when they were struck from behind by a pickup truck.
Ferree is accused of striking the woman at least three more times before several neighbors stopped him and pulled him from the vehicle and held him until police arrived.
Investigators learned that a 53-year-old man and 48-year-old woman also walking in the neighborhood earlier had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck by the pickup.
Chervenak was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Sheriff's officials said a support crew was comforting Sgt. Steve Chervenak, who has been with the department since 2007.
Police said Ferree was booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder.
Bond was set at $1 million at Ferree's initial court appearance Thursday evening. He doesn't have a lawyer yet and is facing a Dec. 11 preliminary hearing.
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