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SANTA MONICA, California (CNN) -- An elderly man driving a mid-size car plowed through a crowded farmers market Wednesday, killing eight people, including a 3-year-old girl, authorities said.
The more than 55 hurt include 15 people with critical injuries, they said.
Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. said the driver of the car, who appears to be in his 80s, is in custody after being released from a local hospital where he was found to have no alcohol or psychiatric medications in his system.
He said the man is in stable condition, conscious and talking to officers at the police station.
Butts said the man drove his 1992 mid-size Buick "at least at a moderate rate of speed" for three blocks along the market street, which was filled with pedestrians, "striking dozens of people." The car stopped only after a pedestrian was thrown into the air and landed on the windshield of the vehicle, Butts said.
The accident occurred at 1:47 p.m. (4:47 p.m. EDT), Butts said.
Butts said officers have interviewed more than 100 witnesses who give conflicting reports regarding the driver's demeanor at the time of the incident.
"So now we're attempting to determine whether this was a straight accident -- medically related -- criminal negligence or criminal homicide," Butts said.
One witness said, "He was not only speeding, he was accelerating."
Joe Chrisman works in a building along the street where the market is held. He witnessed the accident and said the driver appeared befuddled.
"He looked very, very confused," Chrisman said. "I think he was just mentally out of touch. He seemed very confused when he stepped out of the car. He definitely shouldn't have been behind the wheel. He was definitely not quite with it."
Chrisman said there was a woman underneath the man's car, and after a bicycle policeman apprehended the driver, a group of about 10 people together lifted the car off of the victim, who was still breathing.
Video shot by local news station helicopters showed several people being treated by emergency personnel on top of red sheets in the street. Ambulances and police cars crowded the area, and a damaged red car sat among debris.
'Single most horrific, devastating scene of tragedy'
As police roped off the crime scene, a child's blue stroller sat empty in the street amid bodies covered with yellow tarps.
"This is the single most horrific, devastating scene of tragedy I've ever witnessed in 30 years of law enforcement," Butts said. He added that the sight of the dead child "just broke my heart."
Chrisman said he ran outside to help after the accident.
There was "so much carnage," he said.
Four of the injured were taken to St. John's Health Center, where a spokeswoman said one person was in critical condition, two were moderately injured and one had a minor injury.
UCLA Medical Center received seven patients: one in critical condition, two in serious condition and four with minor injuries.
A spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Police Department said the Wednesday market is usually extremely busy, with three city blocks devoted to the market stalls and closed to all but pedestrian traffic.
According to the city's Web site, 9,000 people visit the market each week.
The more than 55 hurt include 15 people with critical injuries, they said.
Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. said the driver of the car, who appears to be in his 80s, is in custody after being released from a local hospital where he was found to have no alcohol or psychiatric medications in his system.
He said the man is in stable condition, conscious and talking to officers at the police station.
Butts said the man drove his 1992 mid-size Buick "at least at a moderate rate of speed" for three blocks along the market street, which was filled with pedestrians, "striking dozens of people." The car stopped only after a pedestrian was thrown into the air and landed on the windshield of the vehicle, Butts said.
The accident occurred at 1:47 p.m. (4:47 p.m. EDT), Butts said.
Butts said officers have interviewed more than 100 witnesses who give conflicting reports regarding the driver's demeanor at the time of the incident.
"So now we're attempting to determine whether this was a straight accident -- medically related -- criminal negligence or criminal homicide," Butts said.
One witness said, "He was not only speeding, he was accelerating."
Joe Chrisman works in a building along the street where the market is held. He witnessed the accident and said the driver appeared befuddled.
"He looked very, very confused," Chrisman said. "I think he was just mentally out of touch. He seemed very confused when he stepped out of the car. He definitely shouldn't have been behind the wheel. He was definitely not quite with it."
Chrisman said there was a woman underneath the man's car, and after a bicycle policeman apprehended the driver, a group of about 10 people together lifted the car off of the victim, who was still breathing.
Video shot by local news station helicopters showed several people being treated by emergency personnel on top of red sheets in the street. Ambulances and police cars crowded the area, and a damaged red car sat among debris.
'Single most horrific, devastating scene of tragedy'
As police roped off the crime scene, a child's blue stroller sat empty in the street amid bodies covered with yellow tarps.
"This is the single most horrific, devastating scene of tragedy I've ever witnessed in 30 years of law enforcement," Butts said. He added that the sight of the dead child "just broke my heart."
Chrisman said he ran outside to help after the accident.
There was "so much carnage," he said.
Four of the injured were taken to St. John's Health Center, where a spokeswoman said one person was in critical condition, two were moderately injured and one had a minor injury.
UCLA Medical Center received seven patients: one in critical condition, two in serious condition and four with minor injuries.
A spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Police Department said the Wednesday market is usually extremely busy, with three city blocks devoted to the market stalls and closed to all but pedestrian traffic.
According to the city's Web site, 9,000 people visit the market each week.
Shut up.
ACK!
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