25 sheriff's recruits hurt, 5 critically, on training run in Whittier: 'Devastation everywhere'

Five Los Angeles County sheriff's recruits were critically injured Wednesday morning when a man driving a Honda CRV plowed into a large group during a training run in South Whittier, authorities said.

The crash occurred near the sheriff's STARS Center training academy, near Mills Avenue and Trumball Street in unincorporated Los Angeles County, Deputy David Yoo said. Dispatchers received a call at 6:26 a.m. about a crash involving pedestrians, Deputy Brenda Serna said.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva said during a news conference in Orange County, where many of the injured were transported, that 25 recruits were hurt. They were members of Academy Class 464. He said injuries included head trauma and broken bones, and “we have had some loss of limb,” noting that one of the five critical patients "is currently on a ventilator.”

At least one of the recruits suffered cranial bleeding and was listed in critical condition, according to a source familiar with the mass casualty incident.

“It looked like an airplane wreck," Villanueva said. "There was so many bodies scattered everywhere in different states of injury that it was pretty traumatic for all individuals involved.”

The injuries are all "survivable," the sheriff said, and he expects the recruits to recover, but he and others in the department have never seen an incident involving so many recruits.

"Our hearts are with the Los Angeles County sheriff's recruits injured this morning while training to serve their communities," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. "Jennifer and I send our best wishes for their recovery and stand with their loved ones and colleagues at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department during this difficult time."

The group was running along Mills Road when they were struck, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Sheila Kelliher said.

California Highway Patrol Assistant Chief Charlie Sampson said there were approximately 75 recruits running in formation when the SUV veered into their group. The group was running with drill instructors as well as two black-and-white radio cars as safety vehicles, and eight road guards who were wearing reflective vests, he said.

Recruits were running in four columns when a vehicle approached at 30 to 40 mph, Villanueva said. Those at the front of the column were able to get out of the way before the SUV struck others and then crashed into a light pole.

Two Bell Police Department recruits were among those injured, Capt. Art Jimenez said. They have since been released from a hospital, he said, and one was being taken back to the academy to be formally interviewed.

“It’s troubling and totally unexpected. These type of situations don’t happen very often involving your recruits," Jimenez said.

Law enforcement cadets participate in a 22-week training program, and there are currently two classes based at the STARS Academy. They complete extensive training on firearms, law, police procedures, self-defense, law enforcement driving, physical fitness and force de-escalation. This was the eighth week of Academy Class 464, which included recruits from police departments in Glendale and Pasadena, Villanueva said.

The 22-year-old driver was detained at the scene by cadets, authorities said. The vehicle was going the wrong way, Kelliher said.

Nearby Howard J. McKibben Elementary School was closed, and classes were canceled following the crash.

The CHP has taken over the investigation into the cause of the crash. The agency's multidisciplinary accident investigation team is beginning a forensic and technical examination of the scene.

"It does seem like this car did not slow down," Supervisor Janice Hahn told KABC-TV. "It made me just sick when I heard [about] it." Supervisor Kathryn Barger called the crash "senseless and tragic."

Pat McDonald, captain of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department's training bureau, which oversees the sheriff's Academy, said “thank God for that light pole” or more recruits would have been injured.

Olga D'Ambrosio, of Santa Clarita, laid several bunches of flowers outside the STARS academy parking lot Wednesday afternoon. Her 22-year-old son, Alex, was among the deputy recruits who were running when the crash occurred. He was not injured and administered first aid to his classmates, D'Ambrosio said, her voice breaking as she described his phone call to her.

"He called me and said, 'Mom, something happened. I'm OK,' " D'Ambrosio said.

He told her that usually he runs on the outside of the formation, but on Wednesday, he ran closer to the center of the group. She doesn't know how that factored into the crash, but she can't help but think he might have been hurt if he had been somewhere else.

Pastor David Trujillo said he prayed and met with the grief-stricken families of a few cadets who were transported in critical condition to St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood.

Trujillo, a Los Angeles County sheriffs’ chaplain, said he was one of three chaplains as well as a Roman Catholic priest who spoke with about 30 family members in a waiting room outside the intensive care unit.

“Shortly after the crash, the mood was one of sadness and fear because no one knew what happened or what was next,” said Trujillo, pastor at Calvary Chapel South Los Angeles. “As the day went on, the mood improved a little and you could see some hope from families.”

Law enforcement sources said the driver, who has not been identified and was transported to a hospital for his injuries, said he was sleepy. Authorities detected no smell of alcohol, but they are working to determine whether he was under the influence of other controlled substances at the time of the crash. Villanueva said he "blew a 0.0" during a Breathalyzer test administered at the scene.

Sampson said the driver is from Diamond Bar, but authorities are not releasing any additional information about him at this time.

Investigators are looking into his background and have learned his uncle is in law enforcement. They say his initial behavior could suggest he was under the influence. They also said they found marijuana in his vehicle.

Down Trumball Street, homes had pumpkins on porches and orange wreaths on doors. One still had Halloween decorations up, with a skeleton waving from a small carriage in front.

Along Mills Avenue, sheriff’s deputies were grouped in the street near the damaged SUV.

Anthony Mendoza, 75, stood outside his home, where yellow crime scene tape blocked off Trumball Street and Mills Avenue. He's lived there for 25 years and has seen the cadets running past over the years.

He said they normally run down Telegraph to Mills. He estimates it's a four-mile run.

On Wednesday morning, he started hearing sirens around 6:30 a.m., but didn't leave his home to check. Later, authorities came and knocked on his door and let his wife know there had been an accident.

“I don't understand how this happened,” he said, gesturing at the wreckage.

Raymond Espinosa, 92, lives next door to Mendoza. He didn't hear the sirens; all he heard was a helicopter overheard. He learned about the crash on the news.