Caught on video: Mustang slams into L.A. car show spectators
BELLFLOWER, Calif. – L.A. Sheriff's Deputies are hoping the public can lead them to the drivers involved in an illegal street racing show at a Kmart parking lot in Bellflower.
CBS Los Angeles reports that cellphone video captured one vehicle — a Mustang — losing control and then slamming into the crowd.
The station spoke to a woman who lives across the street. She heard the commotion but didn't see the crash.
"It was horrible," said Raquel Bermejo after viewing the video.
The incident happened around 11 p.m. Saturday.
Hundreds of people were gathered inside the parking lot for the illegal car show. Vehicles were doing donuts and burnouts — and the sounds echoed through the area.
Tire marks were evident all over the place.
"Obviously there's people who don't follow the rules and really have no respect for other peoples property," said shopper Diane Knieling.
"It is frightening because you never know where you are going to be safe," said shopper Doris Caston.
Despite the car slamming into people, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department says they did not receive one call about the incident. No major injuries were reported — but that doesn't mean no one was injured.
Robert Bodner of Norwalk said he has little sympathy for people who might have been hurt.
"You're gonna stand that close to where they're doing that no barriers no safety? Then you get what you get," Rodner said.
The Mustang clearly knocked people down. It appears the car might have first hit a metal cart corral limiting the injuries and possibly saving lives.
As the Mustang driver started to back up, some in the crowd got angry and began throwing things at the vehicle. They also kicked the car. Witnesses said the man drove away and the crowd scattered.
Bemejo said the loud races happen every month. She said she hoped no one was seriously hurt in the accident but hopes the car enthusiasts learn from what happened and don't come back.
On Sunday evening, CBS Los Angeles spoke exclusively to several people who said the car hit them.
One had a knot on his head, the other two were sore. When they saw the video, even they said they were surprised more people weren't seriously injured.
Daniel Benitez was shooting cellphone video when the car slammed into him and his friends.
"It happened really fast," Benitez said, "I hit the floor and I got instantly up."
Benitez and his friends were sitting on top of the cart corral — the car hitting it also might have kept them from being more seriously hurt.
Kristopher Garcia told Fajardo he blacked out on impact. Roman Mendoza also fell. Both today are still sore.
"I couldn't get up at first," said Garcia, "I guess people could see I couldn't get up and they were saying 'Stay down.'"
"It was terrifying," Mendoza said, "I was shaking. My legs were shaking, like crazy."
The men said one of their friends was driven to the hospital with a broken arm but they didn't personally witness anyone who appeared to be seriously injured.