Truck plows into crowd at Christmas parade in California leaving three people injured as witnesses s

Publish date: 2024-08-05

Three people are injured, at least one of them critically, after a truck crashed into a crowd outside of a California fire station while a Christmas parade was taking place. 

The Bakersfield Christmas Parade was getting ready to begin at around 5:45 p.m. local time when the incident happened, according to officials.

Witnesses alleged that the driver of a white Ford F-150 was backing up out of an alley at high speed near a dry cleaners, hitting people as it tried to leave.

They then crashed into other victims before slamming the car into the perimeter of a local fire station.

The first victim was hit before the car began to roll over him before it moved on to hit two other men. 

Three people are injured, at least one of them critically, after a truck crashed into a crowd outside of a California fire station while a Christmas parade was taking place

Three people are injured, at least one of them critically, after a truck crashed into a crowd outside of a California fire station while a Christmas parade was taking place

Those watching on in shock said the man tried to put the vehicle in drive and make his getaway but the car wouldn’t move.

Several people mistakenly thought they’d heard gunshots but police said that those were just the sounds of the driver’s back window breaking. 

At least three people who saw the man said that he smelled of alcohol, according to the Bakersfield Californian. 

At least one person has been critically injured, with another two people suffering less serious injuries.

The Ford driver – whom witnesses described as an older man – was eventually arrested on suspicion of DUI, police said. He suffered no injuries. 

In addition to the injuries, there was debris and lawn chairs left unattended from the incident. 

Misti Cole, the owner of a food truck that sells pastrami, said the Ford initially hit her vehicle.

‘That’s how I support my family and some drunk idiot just smashed my truck,’ Cole said. 

The Bakersfield Christmas Parade was getting ready to begin at around 5:45 p.m. local time when the incident happened, according to officials

The Bakersfield Christmas Parade was getting ready to begin at around 5:45 p.m. local time when the incident happened, according to officials

Witnesses alleged that the driver of a white Ford F-150 was backing up out of an alley at high speed near a dry cleaners, hitting people as it tried to leave

Witnesses alleged that the driver of a white Ford F-150 was backing up out of an alley at high speed near a dry cleaners, hitting people as it tried to leave

They then crashed into other victims before slamming the car into the perimeter of a local fire station

They then crashed into other victims before slamming the car into the perimeter of a local fire station

The first victim was hit before the car began to roll over him before it moved on to hit two other men

The first victim was hit before the car began to roll over him before it moved on to hit two other men

The Christmas parade had to reroute but it ultimately continued on, though with fewer participants

The Christmas parade had to reroute but it ultimately continued on, though with fewer participants

Kathy Switter noted that one of the victims had just bought hot cocoa for another before the crash. 

‘He never slowed down,’ Switter said of the driver. 

The Christmas parade had to reroute but it ultimately continued on, though with fewer participants.

Cole, the food truck owner, felt it a little ‘ridiculous’ that the parade still went on.

‘These poor kids just watched people get hit. It’s a mess down here,’ Cole said. ‘You don’t know if these people are dead.’

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