Twenty-five police recruits in California are reported to have been injured after a morning group run turned into a potentially deadly encounter with an SUV.
The incident took place at 06:30 PST in Whittier, a suburb of Los Angeles.
The recruits belong to the local Sheriff’s Training Academy and Regional Services (STARS) Center.
According to the local Fox affiliate, at least five recruits are critically injured.
Angelica Musick, a girlfriend of one of the victims told FOX 11 the cadets believe the crash may have been intentional because they do not recall the driver using his brakes.”He just told us the car went straight into them and several of his classmates were severely injured,” Musick said. “The driver was still on the accelerator, so he was trying to break the car window just trying to get the driver to stop because he was still just pressing on the gas.”
Fire engines from Station 96, ambulances, and black-and-whites swarmed the scene after the incident.The streets were soon littered with bandages, medical bags, and other items.
Around ten EMS units were deployed, along with 20 law enforcement vehicles from various agencies.
The driver of the offending vehicle, who is from Diamond Bar, was detained on the scene.
LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed the suspect passed the breathalyzer test, and that he also suffered injuries in the crash that required treatment at the hospital.
Several LA County officials have spoken up on the matter.
“I just felt sick. Here were all those recruits on their morning run who basically got plowed into by this driver,” LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn told a local FOX affiliate station. “We’re hoping they pull through.”
The roads have been closed for the time being, and the matter is under investigation.
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