Police: Driver That Hit 8 People in California May Have Done It On Purpose

Eight people in California were injured on Tuesday after a driver suspected of speeding may have "intentionally" steered into the group of pedestrians, officials said.

Police arrested the unidentified adult male who was behind the wheel of the black 2010 Toyota Corolla. Officials noted that the vehicle made no attempt to brake and the driver allegedly intentionally tried striking the group of pedestrians. After striking the group, the car continued a few more yards before it slammed into a large tree located near a shopping center. The car's hood and front windshield were heavily damaged in the crash.

Officials didn't say whether drugs or alcohol may have been involved in the incident, which occurred around 6:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Eight people were injured in the crash, including a 13-year-old girl, and they were taken to a local hospital where their conditions were not made public. Photos from the scene showed items belonging to the victims scattered around the area of the crash.

Captain Jim Choi of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety told The Washington Post that based on a preliminary investigation, "it looks like this may have been an intentional act by the driver."

"We don’t have any witnesses saying the vehicle tried to avoid the collision," Choi said. "Based upon just what was seen at the scene, the evidence on scene and some of the statements we obtained, there was no braking. The vehicle didn’t try to swerve out of the way."

The incident provoked a huge response from local law enforcement that shut down El Camino Road. Police are investigating whether the driver stopped at the light or if he ran a red light. The suspect could face charges for assault with a deadly weapon if authorities believe the act was deliberate.

The driver was not injured during the incident.


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