WRONG ROAD

Wrong-Way Driver Charged With Attempted Murder After Plowing Into 25 Police Recruits

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said witnesses heard Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez speed up before the collision.

The 22-year-old wrong-way driver who drove into two dozen law enforcement recruits in Whittier, California, has been charged with attempted murder, according to authorities. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said there are signs Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez may have sped up before the collision, and more charges are pending. “Some recruits are saying they heard the car accelerating, they estimate around 30 to 40 miles per hour,” the sheriff said. There were no signs of alcohol in the driver’s system, but police haven’t ruled out possible drug involvement. One recruit remains hospitalized on a ventilator and five others are in critical condition, while several others face moderate to minor injuries.