Man charged with attempted murder, accused of driving into law enforcement recruits
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. – A man accused of driving an SUV into dozens of law enforcement recruits jogging Wednesday morning in Los Angeles County has been charged with attempted murder on a peace officer, officials said.
Authorities arrested Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez, 22, on Wednesday afternoon. Officials said additional charges were pending.
He was being held Thursday without bail.
25 law enforcement recruits struck, injured by wrong-way driver in Los Angeles County
Deputies said 25 law enforcement recruits were injured Wednesday morning when a driver veered into them as they were jogging in formation as part of training in Whittier. Sheriff Alex Villanueva described the most serious injuries as “life-altering.” Authorities were investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash.
“Some recruits are saying they heard the car accelerating — they estimate (to) around 30 miles an hour, 30-40 mph” before the collision, Villanueva said at a news conference. “You can see how little reaction time that allows someone because that’s going pretty fast.”
He said there were no skid marks immediately visible at the scene. Investigators tested the driver’s blood alcohol level and found no evidence that he was inebriated. Villanueva said he was unsure about whether any drug tests were done.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
