Man Tried Running Woman Over With Car; Bystander Saves Life: Cops

RACINE COUNTY, WI — Authorities in Racine County say a 25-year-old Racine man has been arrested and charged after he tried killing a woman he formerly dated by running her over with his car. Police also say an eyewitness at the scene likely saved her life by bringing her to safety moments after she was hit by the man's car.

Anton Williams has been arrested and charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, strangulation and suffocation and causing injury while operating a car while intoxicated, court records say. He faces more than 40 years behind bars if he is convicted.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Racine County, an eyewitness parked in the parking lot of Root River Park during the morning of April 26 saw an interaction between Williams and a woman that resulted in him calling police.

The witness told police that he saw the man, later identified as Williams, and the woman struggling in a tan Buick. The witness said Williams had his hands around the woman's neck and appeared to be choking her, reports stated.

According to reports, the witness told police that he saw the woman break free from Williams, and began to run away from the Buick. Williams, the witness said, then got behind the wheel, accelerated toward the fleeing woman, and struck her.

The criminal complaint stated that the impact was so strong that the woman was "launched" in the air over a large wooden fence, and that the vehicle crashed through the same fence where officers later discovered it. She was able to get up after being hit by the car, and got into the eyewitness' vehicle, which then fled the parking lot, reports concluded.

Police said squads arrived a short time later, and officers located and arrested Williams. When officers questioned the woman over the incident, the woman said that she had known Williams for about two years by virtue of a dating app, the criminal complaint stated.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman told police that when she and Williams met up earlier that evening, she feared that Williams ended up bringing her to the Root River Park to kill her over apparent relationship issues.

Jail records indicate Williams is being held on a $50,000 cash bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 8 in Racine County. The woman was taken by South Shore Rescue to Froedert Hospital where she was treated and released for non-life-threatening injuries.