What seemed to be a normal night for a 76-year-old taxi driver ended with the horror of witnessing attorney Ray Marchan jumping of the Queen Isabella Bridge.
"It looked like he was feeling really bad,” taxi driver Lorenzo Hernandez said. “He wanted to throw up but he said no, no. Keep driving."
It was a quiet drive for Hernandez and Ray Marchan until they started driving along the causeway.
"He got out of the back door,” Hernandez said. “I think he felt like that spot was to shallow when we stopped the first time he said go forward go forward.”
The taxi driver never imagined what was about to happen as they hit the highest point of the bridge.
Marchan asked Hernandez to stop again, saying he was about to be sick.
The last thing Hernandez could remember was how cold the wind was blowing.
"He got out really fast. He wanted to throw up,” Hernandez said. “He was desperate and anxious and he looked over towards the water. I thought he was going to throw up on the side of the water, and then with his clothes on I saw him get up rapidly on the rail and dive into the water."
Hernandez said at first he was in shock, and couldn't believe what he was seeing.
He quickly ran to the railing and looked down.
"I thought why would he do this? I turned to look at the water and yelled senor, 'What senor you couldnt see anyhting anymore'," Hernandez said."Nothing. He was completely gone."
The driver said Marchan never gave any indication that he would do something like this, but believes he already had a plan.
Hernandez told Action 4 News that he hopes people find peace in their hearts and wants people to know it’s not the way out.
Hernandez also said Marchan left a five gallon bucket and a cell phone in the taxi.
Authorities have not disclosed what was in the bucket.
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