Driver Faces Attempted Murder Charges Over Sheriff's Recruits

Authorities have charged a 22-year-old driver on suspicion of attempted murder for allegedly plowing his vehicle into Los Angeles County sheriff’s academy recruits on a training run, injuring more than two dozen people. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Thursday that Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez was arrested Wednesday and charged with attempted murder on a peace officer, per the AP. Authorities have said that a man driving an SUV early Wednesday veered onto the wrong side of the road in suburban Whittier, crashing into recruits on a morning run. Five of them were critically injured.

Authorities said a field sobriety test performed on the driver was negative. Online jail records show Gutierrez is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. It's not immediately known whether Gutierrez has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. There were about 75 recruits from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and several local police agencies running in formation in the street just before 6:30am when the crash occurred. They were wearing white T-shirts and green shorts, and accompanied by two black-and-white radio cars and eight road guards donning reflective vests as a safety precaution, sheriff's authorities said.

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