Sheriff: Driver in fatal Cupertino hit-and-run intentionally ran over hikers

CUPERTINO, Calif. (KTVU) - Authorities in Santa Clara County say the woman who mowed down two hikers at a Cupertino park on Tuesday, killing one of them, did it intentionally. 

The woman who was behind the wheel of the car has been identified as 50-year-old Mireya Orta.

Deputies say Orta drove into an entrance at Rancho San Antonio Preserve and Park, and then followed a circuitous path, striking two people, leaving one of them dead. 

Orta drove off but was stopped a short distance from the scene after deputies blocked her car in preventing her from leaving the area. 

She was subsequently detained and remains in the county jail on charges of murder and assault with a deadly weapon 

Sergeant Michael Low said, "At this point in the investigation it does not appear to be accidental. However, our detectives are working very hard to gather all the facts and piece together what happened."

The preserve and park are a combined 4,100 acres of open space spanning Cupertino and Los Altos. 

Officials with the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District estimate 700,000 visitors use the area annually. 

Regulars who use the trails and walk the park said they were shocked by what occurred. 

"We usually walk through this area and yesterday we didn't. We decided to take a different route," said Christine Cortez. "But it sure is scary because you never know. Here we think it's a nice safe place to walk and we get this surprise. "

Investigators say there's no way Orta mistakenly drove onto the path, but they're still trying to determine a possible motive.