L.A. County Releases Driver After Crash Injuring 25 Law Enforcement Recruits, Says ‘Insufficient Evidence’ of Any Crime

Amy Furr

The man accused of crashing his vehicle into a group of law enforcement recruits in Whittier, California, was released Thursday, ABC 7 reported Friday.

“Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the suspect was only released until investigators can develop more evidence and present a stronger case for prosecutors,” the outlet said.

Authorities arrested 22-year-old Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez on suspicion of attempted murder on peace officers. ABC 7 cited jail records that said he was released at 9:49 p.m. “due to insufficient evidence a crime was committed.”

“Due to the extreme complexity of the investigation, which includes ongoing interviews, video surveillance review, and additional evidence needed to be analyzed, homicide investigators have released Mr. Gutierrez from the Sheriff’s Department custody,” a press release from officials explained.

On Thursday, an investigator with the sheriff’s department said officials believe the suspect intentionally crashed into the group of recruits.

The incident happened Wednesday near Mills Avenue and Trumball Street while a class of approximately 75 recruits was jogging as a training exercise.

The driver allegedly drove onto the wrong side of the road moments before slamming into the recruits.

Aerial footage showed first responders at the scene and the vehicle involved appeared to have also hit a pole:

The 25 recruits hurt during the crash suffered injuries ranging from head trauma to loss of limbs. Villanueva said Thursday there were seven still in the hospital and two were in critical condition.

He also explained officials had difficulty removing the driver from the car after the crash, stating, “From what I understand, he was in the vehicle with his foot still on the accelerator and they were able to get him out of the vehicle and detain him.”

Per the ABC 7 article, Villanueva reported the driver was given a field sobriety test following the incident and he “blew a 0.0.”

A mid-year survey found violent crime in cities across President Joe Biden’s (D) America rose by more than four percent during the first six months of the year, according to Breitbart News.

In September, the White House tried to downplay Biden’s responsibility when it came to the crime wave plaguing Americans, saying the issue is “complicated.”

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