As Many As 8 Hurt -- 1 Critically -- After Vehicle Slams Into Motel Pool
SAN PEDRO (CBSLA.com) — As many as as eight people were hurt -- one critically -- when a vehicle slammed into a motel pool in San Pedro.
The incident took place at the Vagabond Inn in the 200 block of South Gaffey Street just before 7:25 p.m., officials said.
The critically-injured person was out of the vehicle when paramedics arrived but was believed to have been the driver.
KCAL 9's Brittney Hopper spoke to witnesses who said there were many children in the pool at the time the SUV slammed into a wall and then plunged into the water.
A tow truck arrived just after 10 p.m. to try to extricate the vehicle from the pool.
Witnesses told her the driver was submerged "for some time" before he was able to be rescued.
Authorities said they are investigating the crash as a possible DUI incident.
One woman who was nearby at the time of the crash said the whole thing happened very fast. And said she couldn't get the image of the vehicle in the water out of her head.
"It was heartbreaking," she said, "as soon as I heard it, and when I came [right] I saw the car. And I saw little kids right there being treated for injuries. It was terrible."
Children in the pool only suffered minor injuries.
Fortunately, no one was trapped.