Wrong-way driver arrested after crashing into 25 police recruits out for a run - ABC News

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A antheral driving the incorrect mode who plowed into dozens of constabulary recruits who were retired for a tally successful Los Angeles County aboriginal Wednesday has present been arrested, officials said.

The driver, 22-year-old Nicholas Gutierrez, has been arrested for suspicion of attempted execution connected a bid officer, the sheriff's section said connected Thursday.

About 75 recruits were connected the tally with 25 of them suffering injuries successful the crash. The radical was mostly Los Angeles Sheriff's Department recruits, but besides included others from adjacent constabulary departments, including Pasadena and Glendale.

Law enforcement analyse the country aft aggregate Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department recruits were injured erstwhile a car crashed into them portion they were retired for a tally successful Whittier, Calif., Nov. 16, 2022.

"It looked similar an airplane wreck, determination were truthful galore bodies scattered everywhere," LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said astatine a quality league Wednesday.

Five of the recruits were critically hurt, 4 suffered mean injuries and 16 person insignificant injuries, officials said astatine a quality conference.

Injuries included caput trauma, nonaccomplishment of limb and breached bones, officials said. At slightest 1 unfortunate was connected a ventilator, the sheriff said.

A damaged conveyance is seen aft aggregate Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department recruits were injured erstwhile a car crashed into them portion they were retired for a tally successful Whittier, Calif., Nov. 16, 2022.

Gutierrez suffered insignificant injuries, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Sheila Kelliher said Wednesday.

The origin of the clang is unknown. The California Highway Patrol said it'll analyse whether the clang was intentional oregon the effect of distracted driving oregon driving nether the influence.

The complaint of attempted execution connected a bid serviceman was based connected statements made by recruits and different witnesses, including that the car seemed to beryllium accelerating arsenic it went into the group, sources starring the probe told ABC News. Interviews are ongoing, the sources said.

Villanueva said Gutierrez blew a 0.0 connected a Breathalyzer test.

"It looks similar it's an accident, a horrific accident," Villanueva said.

Twenty-one recruits with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office were injured aft being struck by a car portion connected a tally successful Whittier, Calif. aboriginal Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, the sheriff's bureau said.

The recruits were moving connected a regular way successful Whittier astatine the clip of the crash, which took spot astir 6:29 a.m. Wednesday, portion it was inactive acheronian out, officials said.

"Road guards" wearing reflective vests ran connected the extracurricular of the recruits, officials said.

The sheriff's bureau besides had 2 patrol cars escorting the runners.

More than 20 recruits with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office were injured aft being struck by a car portion connected a tally successful Whittier, Calif. aboriginal Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, the sheriff's bureau said.

The mishap took spot conscionable extracurricular of a occurrence station, truthful firefighters instantly raced to the scene, officials said.

Some recruits estimated the car was going astir 30 mph, officials said.

"It is hard to see, due to the fact that these young radical are getting acceptable to spell enactment themselves successful the enactment of information successful their career. And who knows that portion you're grooming to bash that you are really successful harm's way," Kelliher said astatine a quality conference. "So my bosom goes retired to each of them arsenic they prosecute this career. I anticipation that they each person speedy recoveries."

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