>
The wrong-way driver who allegedly ran into a group of law enforcement recruits out for a training drive in Southern California has been charged with attempted murder.
Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez, 22, was taken into custody Wednesday morning at the scene of the crash along Mills Avenue in Whittier.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to DailyMail.com that Gutierrez was charged with the attempted murder of a peace officer(s) and additional charges are pending.
It comes after new surveillance footage was released showing the terrifying moment the driver charged into a group.
As many as 25 recruits suffered injuries, including head trauma, broken bones and ‘loss of limbs’, with at least five seriously injured.
The graphics obtained by ABC7 shows the recruits wearing white T-shirts jogging together in formation in the Mills Road and Telegraph Road area with two patrol cars following them seconds before the crash.
There seems to be little traffic on the residential street when a Honda SUV suddenly appears and crashes straight into the group of recruits with no clear indication that they are trying to slow down.
But the 22-year-old driver could have accelerated shortly before the collision, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said earlier. He blew a 0.0 on a sobriety test, it was reported, and was detained at the scene. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.
New video shows the terrifying moment a wrong-way driver slams into a group of law enforcement officers while they were training in Southern California
The footage begins with the recruits wearing white T-shirts jogging together in formation in the Mills Road and Telegraph Road area with two patrol cars trailing behind them
A Honda SUV suddenly appears and crashes straight into the group of recruits with no clear indication of an attempt to slow down. Bodies and debris were scattered across the street
“Some of the recruits say they heard the car accelerate, they estimate about 30 to 40 miles per hour,” the sheriff told ABCY. “You see how little reaction time someone allows.”
The SUV charged into the group and then hit a light pole on the side of the street, preventing it from hitting any new recruits.
“It happened so fast that only the people who just saw it coming towards them jumped out of the way, but the people behind it didn’t stand a chance because they never saw it,” Villanueva said.
“They didn’t have enough warning. As soon as the accident happened, the chaos that followed, they said, was like a plane wreck, there were so many bodies scattered all over the place in various states of injuries.”
Authorities say nearly 75 recruits were out for the morning run in Whittier at around 6:25 a.m. when the ghost rider entered the training platoon.
The driver reportedly blew a 0.0 but was found to have marijuana in his car.
It remains unclear if he was high at the time of the Wednesday morning crash, but the Los Angeles Times reports that he told police at the scene that he was drowsy.
“It looked like a plane wreck, there were so many bodies everywhere,” Sheriff Villanueva said at one of the press conferences. He added that all injuries were “survivable” but could be “life-changing.”
Patients were taken to several hospitals, including St. Francis Medical Center and LAC+USC Medical Center.
At least one victim was hospitalized on a ventilator at a local hospital.
As many as 25 recruits suffered injuries including head trauma, broken bones and ‘loss of limbs’, with five seriously injured following the crash at Whittier on Wednesday morning
A gray SUV was a mutilated mess after the 22-year-old driver crashed into a pole
Authorities say the driver was going the wrong way when he drove into a group of recruits
The 22-year-old driver may have accelerated shortly before the collision, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. He blew a 0.0 on a sobriety test, it was reported, but was detained at the scene
FOS 11 reports that the recruits all attended the Sheriff’s Training Academy and the Regional Services Center, about a mile and a half from the crash site.
The group ran with drill sergeants, two black and white radio cars as security vehicles, and eight road rangers. Everyone wore reflective vests.
Firefighters from nearby Station 96 were the first to respond after hearing a loud bang outside, where they found the downed Honda.
Authorities are withholding the names of the victims until family members are notified.
Authorities on the scene are pictured transporting a bloodied victim to an ambulance
Some were treated on the spot, others were transported to local hospitals
In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Department said: “Our thoughts are with those affected by this morning’s events involving the sheriff’s recruits.
“While we await more information on their condition, we wish everyone a speedy recovery.”
Governor Gavin Newsom also issued a statement saying, “Our hearts are with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department recruits who were injured this morning while training to serve their communities.
“Jennifer and I send our best wishes for their recovery and support their loved ones and colleagues at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department during this difficult time.”