TRUCKEE, CA — A car struck and injured several pedestrians at the entrance to a grocery store in a scenic mountain town in California on Saturday, police said.
Four people, including some children, were injured when the 49-year-old man crashed the car in front of Truckee Safeway in the afternoon, city police said in a statement. Their injuries were said to be not life-threatening.
Police said they believe the man, from the city of Coalinga in the San Joaquin Valley, intentionally struck pedestrians and the store.
Scotty Mathewson, 39, said he was shopping with his wife when he heard the crash and frantic screaming.
While his wife called 911, Mathewson helped others make sure no one was trapped in the rubble or the pickup truck. He said the boys’ baseball team was collecting money at a table in front of the store, and as he ran to help, parents were desperately trying to reunite with their children.
“We see things on the news, we watch things on YouTube or TV and so on, but all of that has been removed,” he said. “At least for me, this is the first time it’s been clear.”
Mathewson also said pedestrians and shoppers shouted at the driver and tried to open the car, but its doors were locked. He added that the driver was “sitting quietly there” until police arrived and arrested him minutes later.
The 49-year-old driver was booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, felony vandalism and probation violation. He was imprisoned at a facility in Nevada City, which is the county seat of Nevada County and located about an hour’s drive from Truckee on the other side of a 7,000-foot mountain pass.
There was no public contact or attorney listed yet for the driver as of Saturday evening.
Truckee, home to about 17,000 people, is known for its pristine winter beauty and proximity to Lake Tahoe and Donner Lake. February is usually a busy month for winter sports including skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.