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Car plows through market, killing 8
Wednesday, July 16, 2003 Posted: 11:02 PM EDT (0302 GMT)
SANTA MONICA, California (CNN) -- An 86-year-old man who drove his mid-size Buick through a crowded farmers market Wednesday told police he couldn't stop and may have hit the accelerator instead of the brake, Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. said.
Eight people were killed, including a 3-year-old girl, authorities said. The more than 55 hurt include 15 people with critical injuries, they said. Two of those critically injured are under the age of 2.
"He said that he tried to brake and he couldn't stop the vehicle," Butts said.
Police escorted the man to a local hospital where he was found to have no alcohol or psychiatric medications in his system.
Later, he walked out of the police station with the help of a cane and with his attorney by his side. Police released him from custody after he was interviewed by detectives. Charges could be filed at a later time, Butts said, noting that the man is a resident of Santa Monica and does not appear to be a flight risk.
"Right now it looks as though there may be some negligence as far as his capacity to drive safely," Butts said. There was no indication that the man intended to injure any pedestrians.
Butts said the man drove his 1992 mid-size Buick LeSabre "at least at a moderate rate of speed" for three blocks along the market street, which was filled with pedestrians, "striking dozens of people." The car stopped only after a pedestrian was thrown into the air and landed on the windshield of the vehicle, Butts said.
The accident occurred at 1:47 p.m. (4:47 p.m. EDT), Butts said.
Butts said officers have interviewed more than 100 witnesses who give conflicting reports regarding the driver's demeanor at the time of the incident.
"So now we're attempting to determine whether this was a straight accident -- medically related -- criminal negligence or criminal homicide," Butts said.
One witness said, "He was not only speeding, he was accelerating."
Joe Chrisman works in a building along the street where the market is held. He witnessed the accident and said the driver appeared befuddled.
"He looked very, very confused," Chrisman said. "I think he was just mentally out of touch. He seemed very confused when he stepped out of the car. He definitely shouldn't have been behind the wheel. He was definitely not quite with it."
Chrisman said there was a woman underneath the man's car, and after a bicycle policeman apprehended the driver, a group of about 10 people together lifted the car off of the victim, who was still breathing.
Video shot by local news station helicopters showed several people being treated by emergency personnel on top of red sheets in the street. Ambulances and police cars crowded the area, and a damaged red car sat among debris.
'Single most horrific, devastating scene of tragedy'
As police roped off the crime scene, a child's blue stroller sat empty in the street amid bodies covered with yellow tarps.
"This is the single most horrific, devastating scene of tragedy I've ever witnessed in 30 years of law enforcement," Butts said. He added that the sight of the dead child "just broke my heart."
Chrisman said he ran outside to help after the accident.
There was "so much carnage," he said.
Four of the injured were taken to St. John's Health Center, where a spokeswoman said one person was in critical condition, two were moderately injured and one had a minor injury.
UCLA Medical Center received 13 patients: six in critical condition -- including two children under the age of 2; two patients who were still being evaluated; and five people who have been treated and released.
Hospital sources said the injuries range from broken bones to head injuries to possible injuries to internal organs.
A spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Policed Department said the Wednesday market is usually extremely busy, with three city blocks devoted to the market stalls and closed to all but pedestrian traffic.
According to the city's Web site, 9,000 people visit the market each week.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/07/16/farmers.market.crash/index.html
Witness: 'Bodies flying everywhere'
Wednesday, July 16, 2003 Posted: 8:42 PM EDT (0042 GMT)
SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- Witnesses said victims were hurled through the air as a car smashed through a crowded farmers market Wednesday.
"It was like a hurricane just came down the center of the street," said Megan Sheehy, general manager of a nearby restaurant.
Eight people were killed -- including a 3-year-old girl -- and more than 40 injured.
Police said the driver was in his 80s but did not release his name. Butts said the man was taken to a hospital for a blood test and initial results found no traces of alcohol.
Witnesses said the 1992 Buick was moving very fast down the three downtown blocks of Arizona Avenue that were closed for the street market.
"Sixty miles per hour and it wasn't slowing down. It was flying. And then people down, dead and everything," said David Lang, manager of a shoe store along the market route.
"I heard a car just hit, bang, bang, bang," said Mojgan Pour, 38. "I heard people screaming. By the time I looked, I never even saw the car. I tried to help a man and he died while I was helping him."
Bahram Manahedgi, 50, said one person was on the hood of the car when it finally came to rest, and a woman was crushed beneath it.
Manahedgi said that when he went to pull the driver out, "he was an old man. His eyes were open and he was alive. I said, 'Do you know what the hell you did?' He said, 'No.' I just opened the door, I pulled him out."
A crowd gathered around the car and "wanted to beat him up," Manahedgi said. "I said, 'He's an old man, leave him alone."'
The car was extensively damaged, including a smashed front end and windshield. What appeared to be shoes were on its roof.
David Allwas told KABC-TV by telephone that the driver of the car looked like he might be having a heart attack.
"His arm was straight on the wheel and his body was stiff," Allwas said.
He said he saw as many as 12 people bleeding and injured.
"You just have to pray because I saw this little girl get CPR and I saw this other woman who I think died," Allwas said.
Ronald Gaba was working inside Acadie restaurant on Arizona Street when he heard screams from the sidewalk.
"During the time, there was a lot of crying," Gaba said. "I came outside and saw one body covered by a cloth. I can't describe what is happening, it's something I've never seen before."
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/07/16/farmers.market.crash.scene.ap/index.html
Wednesday, July 16, 2003 Posted: 11:02 PM EDT (0302 GMT)
SANTA MONICA, California (CNN) -- An 86-year-old man who drove his mid-size Buick through a crowded farmers market Wednesday told police he couldn't stop and may have hit the accelerator instead of the brake, Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. said.
Eight people were killed, including a 3-year-old girl, authorities said. The more than 55 hurt include 15 people with critical injuries, they said. Two of those critically injured are under the age of 2.
"He said that he tried to brake and he couldn't stop the vehicle," Butts said.
Police escorted the man to a local hospital where he was found to have no alcohol or psychiatric medications in his system.
Later, he walked out of the police station with the help of a cane and with his attorney by his side. Police released him from custody after he was interviewed by detectives. Charges could be filed at a later time, Butts said, noting that the man is a resident of Santa Monica and does not appear to be a flight risk.
"Right now it looks as though there may be some negligence as far as his capacity to drive safely," Butts said. There was no indication that the man intended to injure any pedestrians.
Butts said the man drove his 1992 mid-size Buick LeSabre "at least at a moderate rate of speed" for three blocks along the market street, which was filled with pedestrians, "striking dozens of people." The car stopped only after a pedestrian was thrown into the air and landed on the windshield of the vehicle, Butts said.
The accident occurred at 1:47 p.m. (4:47 p.m. EDT), Butts said.
Butts said officers have interviewed more than 100 witnesses who give conflicting reports regarding the driver's demeanor at the time of the incident.
"So now we're attempting to determine whether this was a straight accident -- medically related -- criminal negligence or criminal homicide," Butts said.
One witness said, "He was not only speeding, he was accelerating."
Joe Chrisman works in a building along the street where the market is held. He witnessed the accident and said the driver appeared befuddled.
"He looked very, very confused," Chrisman said. "I think he was just mentally out of touch. He seemed very confused when he stepped out of the car. He definitely shouldn't have been behind the wheel. He was definitely not quite with it."
Chrisman said there was a woman underneath the man's car, and after a bicycle policeman apprehended the driver, a group of about 10 people together lifted the car off of the victim, who was still breathing.
Video shot by local news station helicopters showed several people being treated by emergency personnel on top of red sheets in the street. Ambulances and police cars crowded the area, and a damaged red car sat among debris.
'Single most horrific, devastating scene of tragedy'
As police roped off the crime scene, a child's blue stroller sat empty in the street amid bodies covered with yellow tarps.
"This is the single most horrific, devastating scene of tragedy I've ever witnessed in 30 years of law enforcement," Butts said. He added that the sight of the dead child "just broke my heart."
Chrisman said he ran outside to help after the accident.
There was "so much carnage," he said.
Four of the injured were taken to St. John's Health Center, where a spokeswoman said one person was in critical condition, two were moderately injured and one had a minor injury.
UCLA Medical Center received 13 patients: six in critical condition -- including two children under the age of 2; two patients who were still being evaluated; and five people who have been treated and released.
Hospital sources said the injuries range from broken bones to head injuries to possible injuries to internal organs.
A spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Policed Department said the Wednesday market is usually extremely busy, with three city blocks devoted to the market stalls and closed to all but pedestrian traffic.
According to the city's Web site, 9,000 people visit the market each week.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/07/16/farmers.market.crash/index.html
Witness: 'Bodies flying everywhere'
Wednesday, July 16, 2003 Posted: 8:42 PM EDT (0042 GMT)
SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- Witnesses said victims were hurled through the air as a car smashed through a crowded farmers market Wednesday.
"It was like a hurricane just came down the center of the street," said Megan Sheehy, general manager of a nearby restaurant.
Eight people were killed -- including a 3-year-old girl -- and more than 40 injured.
Police said the driver was in his 80s but did not release his name. Butts said the man was taken to a hospital for a blood test and initial results found no traces of alcohol.
Witnesses said the 1992 Buick was moving very fast down the three downtown blocks of Arizona Avenue that were closed for the street market.
"Sixty miles per hour and it wasn't slowing down. It was flying. And then people down, dead and everything," said David Lang, manager of a shoe store along the market route.
"I heard a car just hit, bang, bang, bang," said Mojgan Pour, 38. "I heard people screaming. By the time I looked, I never even saw the car. I tried to help a man and he died while I was helping him."
Bahram Manahedgi, 50, said one person was on the hood of the car when it finally came to rest, and a woman was crushed beneath it.
Manahedgi said that when he went to pull the driver out, "he was an old man. His eyes were open and he was alive. I said, 'Do you know what the hell you did?' He said, 'No.' I just opened the door, I pulled him out."
A crowd gathered around the car and "wanted to beat him up," Manahedgi said. "I said, 'He's an old man, leave him alone."'
The car was extensively damaged, including a smashed front end and windshield. What appeared to be shoes were on its roof.
David Allwas told KABC-TV by telephone that the driver of the car looked like he might be having a heart attack.
"His arm was straight on the wheel and his body was stiff," Allwas said.
He said he saw as many as 12 people bleeding and injured.
"You just have to pray because I saw this little girl get CPR and I saw this other woman who I think died," Allwas said.
Ronald Gaba was working inside Acadie restaurant on Arizona Street when he heard screams from the sidewalk.
"During the time, there was a lot of crying," Gaba said. "I came outside and saw one body covered by a cloth. I can't describe what is happening, it's something I've never seen before."
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/07/16/farmers.market.crash.scene.ap/index.html
