9 injured when pickup truck plows into crowd in downtown Fullerton, driver arrested
A truck driver turned his vehicle onto a sidewalk in downtown Fullerton early Sunday and plowed into a crowd, injuring nine with some vicitms trapped beneath the vehicle that was lifted off of them with the help of passersby, authorities said.
Christopher Solis, 22, of Anaheim, crashed into a tree in the 1:48 a.m. incident after the Toyota Tacoma he was driving ran into the crowd.
He was arrested at the scene on suspicion of felony DUI. Fullerton police said he is believe to have been driving under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.
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Injuries to the vicitims ranged from moderate to critical, and their ages of the victims are from 18 to 49 years, Fullerton police said in a news release.
Police and Fullerton firefighters arriving at the scene found the Tacoma on top of several of the victims, and the first responders were helped by Good Samaritans to lift the truck enough to free those trapped beneath it.The vicitms were treated at the scene before being hospitalized.
The incident took place in Fullerton’s SOCO – South of Commonwealth – district, a popular nighttime destination, especially on weekends.
“Due to the time and location of where this accident occurred, hundreds of people were on the sidewalk, in the parking lots, and to the front of nearby restaurants and bars during bar closing time,” the news release said.
Fullerton police ask any with information on the incident, including capturing the scene on cellphone video, to call the Fullerton Police Traffic Bureau at 714-738-5313. Anonymous information can be relayed through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227, orwww.p3tips.com/913.