Driver, 68, in custody after his SUV plowed into six migrant orchard workers in a North Carolina Walmart parking lot — claiming he accidentally hit the accelerator
- Six were injured in what appears to be a ‘deliberate attack’ with a vehicle in North Carolina
- Daniel Gonzalez, 68, turned himself in and claimed to have been in an accident
A 68-year-old driver has been taken into custody after he drove his SUV into six migrant orchard workers in a Walmart parking lot in North Carolina.
Daniel Gonzalez was taken into custody Monday night after turning himself in with several family members to the Lincolnton Police Department.
The family members said he told them he was parking at Walmart and accidentally stepped on the gas, hit six men, then panicked and left the scene.
All six victims had to be taken to hospital, but police said none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.
On Sunday night, Lincolnton Police released surveillance footage of the crash, saying it appeared to be a “deliberate attack.”
Gonzalez was charged with hit and run. He received $50,000 bail and was said to have cooperated, according to police.
Gonzalez was charged with hit and run. He received $50,000 bail and was said to have cooperated, according to police
Daniel Gonzalez, 68, is taken into custody Monday night after turning himself in with several family members to Lincolnton Police Department
The black SUV (above right) was captured on surveillance footage running into the group of migrants on a bus that took them from an orchard to Walmart for a weekly shopping excursion
Maj. Brian Greene, interim chief of the Lincolnton Police Department, described the crash, saying, “It turns right in front of the bus and looks like it’s about to park.
And then at the last second it seems to speed up, jump over the curb, hit the individuals and the trees and move through the area to the other side of the parking lot and exit again the same way it came ‘ he added.
The incident happened around 1:15 p.m. Sunday and injured six men who were working a 30-minute drive away at the Knob Creek Orchard in Lawndale, authorities said.
The victims were treated for their injuries at a local hospital and all six were released late on Sunday.
Police identified them as Jorge A. Lopez, Zalapa M. Hermosillo, Jose L. Calderon, Luis D. Alcantar, Rodrigo M. Gutierrez-Tapia and Santiago Baltazar.
Police said 20 to 30 orchard workers were shopping weekly at the time and gathered around a bus that had taken them to the Walmart.
The SUV is photographed just after hitting the migrants and before fleeing the scene on Sunday afternoon
Gonzalez (right) is arrested Monday evening and placed in a police vehicle
Following Gonzalez’s arrest on Monday, police thanked several departments that helped with the investigation, as well as local Kia and Hyundai dealers.
Santiago Baltazar told WCNC through a translator that he had injuries from his waist to his feet.
Lincolnton has a population of about 12,000 and is located about 30 miles northwest of Charlotte.
In a similar incident earlier this year, an SUV drove into a busy bus stop in a Texas border town, killing eight and injuring at least 11.
The Range Rover that hit a group of people standing at a bus stop outside the migrant homeless shelter
Police arrested the suspect driving the car, but have not yet named him. He “did not cooperate” with the detectives, police said on Sunday as they continued the investigation
George Alvarez, 34, was later arrested by police in connection with the hit-and-run and was said to have been “apparently drunk” at the time, according to police.
Alvarez ran a red light and lost control of his Range Rover on May 7, hitting 18 people, Brownsville police said.
He then attempted to flee the scene before being detained by bystanders, police said.
Brownsville police said they still don’t know if Alvarez acted intentionally.