'He Could Have Killed Someone': Los Feliz Residents Say LAPD Failed To Test Suspected Drunk Driver After He Crashed Into 3 Parked Cars
LOS FELIZ (CBSLA) — A suspected drunk driver hit three parked cars in Los Feliz, and the Los Angeles Police Department just let the man walk away, some residents said Thursday.
Witnesses said the driver was making a left turn onto Hillhurst Avenue from Los Feliz Boulevard when he struck the vehicles, leaving behind extensive damage.
Katy Wicker, a neighbor who recorded cell phone video of the aftermath of the crash, said the man got out of a wrecked Dodge Charger and tumbled over into a grass median last Saturday afternoon.
"He was completely intoxicated the entire time," she said. "It was apparent to everyone that was there. He was yelling at everyone. He was yelling aggressive comments at police officers, at the ambulance that was there, at the tow truck driver, and he literally stumbled away."
Wicker, who knows the owner of one of the damaged cars, said she never once saw an officer give the driver a field sobriety test. And, after the officers left, she recorded the man walking away from the scene.
"We asked him him, we asked them why they didn't provide him a breathalyzer test, and they couldn't give us any answers," she said.
When asked about the incident, the Los Angeles Police Department said officers on the scene make the call of whether to conduct a field sobriety test. In this case, the officers decided not to, leaving neighbors very upset.
"He could have killed someone," Wicker said. "He could have injured people. He could have done a lot more damage than he did."
A woman who owns one of the damaged vehicles said she was able to track down the driver's information through her insurance company. CBS Los Angeles attempted to contact the man, but was not successful.