A law enforcement official said that the semi-truck caught on camera hurdling towards a group of protesters on I-35W in Minneapolis was likely an accident, according to a report.
Fox News reported that the official who witnessed the incident said the driver of the truck accidentally drove towards the group of protesters, and there was nothing that indicated that he intended to harm someone right away.
The report pointed out that the driver, identified as Bogdan Vechirko by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, broke no barriers, and the road to the bridge was not closed off as it should have been before the incident.
The driver is said to have been visibly shaken and immediately tried to slow down once he realized people were in his view, according to the report.
State Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell, on the other hand, said during a Monday briefing that the truck avoided a traffic barrier to stay on the road.
The Minnesota State Patrol said in a tweet that the driver’s actions appeared to be deliberate.
Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. The truck driver was injured & taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesn’t appear any protesters were hit by the truck. #MACCMN
— MnDPS_DPS (@MnDPS_DPS) May 31, 2020
While many protesters surrounded the driver, about a dozen protesters came to his aid and prevented others from directing physical violence at him.
The protesters were demonstrating against the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned his neck using his knee for nearly ten minutes.
Four officers were fired since that incident, and one of the officers, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter less than 50 minutes after his arrest was made public.
Police arrested Vechirko, 35, on suspicion of assault, and he is being held without bond at the Hennepin County Jail.
BREAKING: Hennepin County authorities have released the mugshot of Bogdan Vechirko, the driver who drove into a crowd of protesters on the I-35W bridge Sunday afternoon. | https://t.co/DagxLlPuA7 pic.twitter.com/MnBGfRPGb8
— WCCO – CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) June 1, 2020
No protesters were seriously injured, and police are actively investigating the incident.
Vechirko works as an independent contractor for Kenan Advantage Tanker Company, which pledged its full cooperation with the authorities.
“Our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the events of this past week. We have been informed of an incident involving one of our independent contractors in Minneapolis, MN, during recent protests,” the company said in a statement.
“Our first and foremost concern is for the safety and security of the public, our employees, and our customers. It would be inappropriate to comment at this time until we have additional facts as the investigation is in its early stages,” the statement continued.
As of Monday, Vechirko has not formally been charged.
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