Posted on 06/03/2007 6:33:48 AM PDT by nuconvert
About 35 Injured When Car Plows Into Street Festival in Washington, D.C.
June 03, 2007
Washington - A car plowed through several blocks at a crowded street festival, injuring about 35 people, seven severely, authorities said. The driver was arrested near the scene.
Witnesses said strollers were flung into the air and one person was trapped beneath the car's wheels during the chaos Saturday night in the city's Anacostia neighborhood.
The injured included two children under age 3 and two police officers who drove their motor scooters into the driver's path in an attempt to stop her, authorities said.
Police identified the driver as Tonya Bell, 30, of Oxon Hill, Md., who was charged with aggravated assault while armed. District of Columbia Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said additional charges are pending.
Police said Bell had a 7-year-old child in the car with her.
They were conducting blood tests that would show whether alcohol or drugs were involved.
"We're still trying to piece together exactly just what happened that led up to this," Lanier said at the scene.
She said a vehicle believed to be Bell's was driving erratically and struck a police car and fled the scene about a half-hour before the crash at the festival, which occurred at about 8 p.m.
Alan Etter, a spokesman for the District of Columbia fire department, said authorities believe Bell was going about 70 mph when she tore through the festival. Litter and debris from food stands were scattered in the street.
Witnesses described an extended period of mayhem in which the driver started off slowly through some closed streets and finally hit the accelerator on the avenue running through the heart of Unifest, an annual event sponsored by a church. The car hit a stage where people were dancing, witnesses said.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Bad car! BAD!
Drunk, drugs and or sudden jihad syndrome?
We need more laws about cars. There should of been a waiting period and a back-round check on the transaction. Cars kill more people than guns, the situation is clearly out of control. I just hope none of the victims of this senseless crime were children. Oh the humanity. /s off.
Prayers for the victims.
We should redeploy to horses.
Unh, the cruise control got stuck in the “on” position?
The driver mistook the accelerator for the brake pedal?
The driver was a maniacal Muslim determined to take himself to Paradise by killing as many of the infidels as possible?
The driver was buzzed up on Oxycontin?
Inquiring minds want to know.
A phased redeployment?
“himself” = “herself”
Gender will screw a person up every time.
The driver was from Oxon Hill and the incident took place in Anacostia. I'd say more like MD 20/20 or Thunderbird, rather than oxycontin. : )
David White, president of the Chicago Shannon Civic Association, says Bell grew up in the neighborhood and is well known.
White says he and other residents saw her in the area on Saturday morning, driving erratically and clipping parked cars. He says he confronted her, but she acted like she didn’t know him.
“I said, ‘Tonya, what are you doing?’ She was sweating like a race horse. We tried our best to stop her. ... She was just in a deranged state of mind,” White says.
http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=596&sid=1156850
DC Homicide detective said that she was a known user of marajuana, and a witness has come forth that she had dipped her dope in embalming fluid (whacky weed) recently.
Word yo! Nothing like getting dusted and going for a drive. /s
“Yo, bruh, got any more dat Oxymoron sh!t?”
Crack is whack, yo.
It’s probably been hanging around with those SUVs too much.
See, this is why we need automobile control... Cars kill!
However this kills your chance at being Mother Of The Year.
I agree... DC must ban automobiles, and ban them NOW! How many more chill’un will be in danger from those horrible things?!/s;)
Thought it might have been another Islamic “Jihadmobile”.
This brings new meaning to the phrase: “bump for later”.
My but that was brilliant.
It was selfless and probably their only option.
motor scooters?????????
Guns work better, I think.
Pitting a 140 lb vehicle against a 2000 lb vehicle is.. er.. stupid.
Yer mailbox is full.
:-P
:-P
:-P
:-P
:-P
But DON'T call it a hate crime despite numerous occurrances now of evil drivers deliberately hitting crowds.
BDS? Bush Derangement Syndrome?
Is there a pic of the perp, Tonya Bell available? I looked earlier today and have yet been able to find one.
She was well known by people at the Unifest festival. Since all of the people on the news footage at the scene were black, it's probable that she is as well. Still no pictures posted anywhere.
If we outlaw cars, then only outlaws will have cars.
WaPo had an article on this incident this morning. It appears the woman in question spent the entire morning getting high on crack and then headed over to the festival. According to witnesses, she was laughing as she ran over people.
Great idea!!! Add it to the bill1
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