Man in truck tries to hit Riverside pedestrians, flees after vehicle disabled
RIVERSIDE — Two pedestrian’s escaped injury when a man in a pickup truck tried plowing into them during an argument in a Riverside shopping center last night, Oct. 12. The crash damaged the truck to the point where it could not be driven away and the alleged suspect fled the scene on foot before officers arrived at the scene.
Officials have not said what led to the violent incident that happened in the Albertson’s shopping center northeast of Van Buren Blvd. and Trautwein Rd., and are investigating the crash as an attempted assault with a deadly weapon and hit and run.
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City of Riverside Police and Fire Departments, along with other emergency personnel, responded to a shopping center’s east corner about 9:30 p.m., after receiving reports of a vehicle that crashed into a table and bench, while possibly trying to hit two pedestrians.
A truck was left stranded in mid air – with all four wheels off the ground – after the driver tried to hit two pedestrians during an argument last night. OC Hawk photo
911 callers reported the driver of the truck attempted to flee the scene in his pickup truck, but the crash had rendered the vehicle inoperable and the man reportedly abandoned his truck and fled the area on foot.
Based on the circumstances of the call numerous officers converged on the scene. a newer black GMC Canyon with paper dealership plates that had mowed down a handicap parking sign and smashed into one of four concrete picnic table and bench sets directly in front of H&R Block.
All four of the GMC’s wheels were lifted off the ground by the destroyed metal signpost and concrete benches and the truck’s driveshaft appeared to be sheared in half.
An obviously shaken man and woman were found near the wrecked truck and were later interviewed inside a Taco Shop near where the incident happened. The restaurant appeared to have been the only shop open in the area at that time.
A witness at the scene who declined to be identified later reported seeing the male driver of the pickup and the female victim arguing in the parking lot. At some point during the argument the driver, who has not yet been identified, accelerated directly toward the woman and a male companion.
The truck plowed through and over a parking sign, jumped the curb, and smashed into the picnic table and benches. The impact knocked down the table and benches and the speed of the truck carried it on top of them, leaving the vehicle stuck. It was not immediately known which way the driver fled after the collision and officials have not released the man’s description.
Riverside PD later confirmed they are investigating the incident as an assault with a deadly weapon but citing their ongoing investigation declined to release any additional details.
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William Hayes/OC Hawk News photos
Following breaking unplanned and planned incidents in Orange County and surrounding areas, OC Hawk News provides local and national TV networks with footage.
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Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.