Whittier crash: Suspect accused of ‘deliberately’ driving into sheriff recruits released

Speaking during a news conference on Wednesday about the 25 police recruits were injured after a car driving the wrong way barrelled into the group of runners, LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva compared the aftermath to a plane crash.

“It looked like an airplane wreck, there were so many bodies scattered everywhere,” Sheriff Villanueva said at a news conference.

Five of the recruits were critically hurt, four suffered moderate injuries and 16 have minor injuries, officials said at a news conference.

The list of injuries that the individuals have succumbed to include head trauma, loss of limb and broken bones, officials said. At least one of the victims, they added, was placed on a ventilator on Wednesday afternoon.

Recruits at the scene of the crash on Wednesday afternoon told officials that they estimated the driver was going about 30mph.

The accident, which took place just outside of a nearby fire station, was immediately tended to by the firefighters who were inside, officials said.

“It is hard to see, because these young people are getting ready to go put themselves in the line of danger in their career. And who knows that while you’re training to do that you are actually in harm’s way,” Los Angeles County Fire Capt Sheila Kelliher said at a news conference. “So my heart goes out to all of them as they pursue this career. I hope that they all have speedy recoveries.”

The Sheriffs’ Relief Association, based out of Whittier, California, says that they’re collecting funds for the injured police recruits.

The organisation, which was founded in 1924 by Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz as the benevolent arm of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, was created to address the needs of Department members during individual times of family crisis.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement regarding Wednesday’s crash and the 25 recruits were injured during the incident.

“Our hearts are with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s recruits injured this morning while training to serve their communities,” the Democratic governor said. “Jennifer and I send our best wishes for their recovery and stand with their loved ones and colleagues at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department during this difficult time.”

New surveillance video from a nearby home shows the moment a driver slammed an SUV into a group of law-enforcement recruits out for a morning run in the Los Angeles suburb of Whittier at 630am on Wednesday. A motive is still unknown.

The video has been edited to remove graphic content (via ABC7).

Here’s Maroosha Muzaffar’s report.

Authorities in Los Angeles have formally arrested a 22-year-old man after a vehicle plowed into a large group of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department cadets on a training run in the suburb of Whittier on Wednesday morning. More than two dozen were injured — five critically.

Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the crash.

His bail was set at $2m, according to the sheriff’s department.

A suspect has been arrested after allegedly plowing into 25 law enforcement recruits in California.

Los Angeles County authorities have identified the suspect as 22-year-old Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez, of Diamond Bar.

He is accused of crashing into the group of recruits with his Honda CR-V in Whittier on Wednesday.

Andrea Blanco has the full story.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the driver — now named as Nicholas Joseph Guttierez, 22 — veered from the southbound lane and plowed into recruits who were running in formation on the edge of the northbound lane adjacent to the curb at approximately 6.30am.

The recruits were running in four columns with eight road guards who wear reflective high-visibility vests demarking them to traffic. In addition to that, drill instructors and safety vehicles accompanied recruits on the run.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva spoke with the recruits who were running at the front of the formation.

“It happened so quickly,” Mr Villanueva told a press conference. “They jumped out of the way, but the people behind had no chance. They never saw it.”

It is estimated that the SUV was traveling at between 30 to 40mph, and there were no signs of skid marks on the roadway. The vehicle then hit a light pole bringing it to a stop and destroying the front end.

Angelica Musick, the girlfriend of one of the victims, told Good Day LA that her boyfriend said the driver still had his foot on the accelerator and he had attempted to break the car’s window to make him stop.

The investigation continues.

At least 25 police recruits have been injured after a group of trainees was struck by a vehicle driven by a 22-year-old man while they were out for a morning run in the Los Angeles suburb of Whittier.

Here is everything we know so far.