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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Motorist hits 12 on boardwalk, flees

Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES – A driver who witnesses described as “moving purposefully” struck a dozen people on the Venice boardwalk early Saturday evening.

Two of the pedestrians were injured critically, two were categorized as having “serious” injuries and eight others suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

The incident occurred about 6 p.m. at the boardwalk’s intersection with Dudley Avenue. “The vehicle appeared to be moving purposefully down the boardwalk according to witnesses,” said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Humphrey said witnesses described a dark-colored sedan striking the crowd.

The driver and sedan had yet to be located more than two hours after the 6 p.m. crash.

“A car plowed through the boardwalk,” said a stunned Daniel Regidor, who had been out for a run and was a short distance away when the crash occurred.

He described “people screaming, running.”

“I was half a mile from the scene, but you could see just this mass of people trying to get out of the way … just a lot of people screaming,” Regidor said “It was horrible.”

The Venice boardwalk is a cultural hub in a part of Los Angeles known for its eccentricities. It is home to galleries, restaurants, tattoo shops, skateboard parks and the famous outdoor weight room known as Muscle Beach.