Woman suspected of DUI drives onto Venice Pier, strikes bicyclist
Suspected DUI driver plows through Venice Beach Pier
A suspected DUI driver plows through the Venice Beach Pier, sending families scrambling for safety.
LOS ANGELES - A festive night at the Venice Pier turned into a scene of panic over the weekend when a driver drove a car directly onto the pedestrian walkway, sending families scrambling for safety.
What we know:
The incident happened just before 10 p.m. Sunday, according to police.
Witness cellphone video shows families, including young children, running for safety as a car with blacked-out windows moved down the pier.
Police said the driver struck a bicyclist while on the pier.
Officers initiated a short pursuit, which ended when they executed a successful PIT maneuver at the intersection of Via Marina and Pacific. The driver was taken into custody.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the driver or confirmed the official charges filed against her.
The condition of the bicyclist struck on the pier and whether any other pedestrians sustained injuries during the commotion have not been disclosed.
What they're saying:
"It all happened so fast, the families were out here enjoying a nice summer night out with their families, they were fishing, and then all of a sudden they had to run for their safety," said a witness describing the initial panic.
Daniel Lopez, a parent who had to run to safety holding his three-year-old child, recalled the frightening moment.
"Watch out! Watch out!! Watch out!!! I just thought it was going to be a tragedy. I thought that, you know, I was scared that I was going to lose my son." Lopez added, "You could clearly tell that she was like under the influence of drugs," noting that "there was so many kids there" following a local neon light-up bike parade.
Expressing frustration over broader city issues regarding crime and drug addiction, Lopez noted, "It's really sad to see you know you can't go out in LA with, you know with the current situation."
The Source: This report is based on video footage and eyewitness testimony, as well as official statements provided by the Los Angeles Police Department.