Maryland

Suspect in hit-and-run outside Montgomery Co. court targeted family of suspect in son's murder, sources say

The crash happened on E. Montgomery Avenue, near the Montgomery County District Courthouse

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The suspect in a hit-and-run outside Montgomery County court Thursday targeted the family of the suspect in his son’s murder, two law enforcement sources said.

Police are still looking for 44-year-old Walter Giovanni Marquez-Aviles. He allegedly struck the grandmother and brother of Jennifer Espinoza Orellana — who is charged with murder in the stabbing of Marquez-Aviles' son — following a court hearing. Another young man also was struck by the vehicle.

Espinoza Orellana's 79-year-old grandmother is in very serious condition.

Espinoza Orellana allegedly stabbed her boyfriend, 20-year-old Jose Manuel Zavala Marquez, during an argument at her Gaithersburg home in September, police said. She then drove him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Espinoza Orellana has been held without bond since her arrest.

The heated atmosphere between her family and the victim's family at her bond hearing Thursday continued outside the Montgomery County District Courthouse in Rockville.

Three people were hit by a car outside a courthouse in Montgomery County, Maryland, on Thursday after police believe the driver had just left a hearing.

Witnesses said the driver of a dark SUV appeared to deliberately target a group of pedestrians in the 100 block of E. Montgomery Avenue.

Rockville police issued an arrest warrant for Marquez-Aviles, charging him with three counts of attempted murder and three courts of first-degree assault.

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.

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