Hillsborough deputies: Man hides in car, tries to choke estranged wife, car flips, he runs away

TAMPA - Police are looking for a man who they say hid in the back seat of his estranged wife's car and began choking her while she drove to work.  She struggled, the car did a complete flip, but that didn't stop him.

The woman, Tania Martinez, 36, was leaving her home around 6 a.m. Wednesday when she noticed someone in the back seat of her Nissan Altima.

It was her estranged husband, Alexis Testa-Yero, 43, who began choking her with a rope, according to a sheriff's statement.  A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

As she struggled,  Martinez lost control of the car, which left the road and struck a fence on Paris Street West.  The car then became airborne, flipped completely and came to rest on its wheels.

Martinez was knocked out briefly.  When she came to, her ex-husband was once again trying to choke her with the rope, according to the statement.  They struggled some more and the husband then ran away. He remains on the loose.

Martinez was treated at the scene by fire rescue.

When captured, Testa-Yero will be charged with aggravated battery.