A man driving a boom-lift work truck slammed into six parked vehicles in Whittier early Saturday morning, injuring himself and sending at least one other person to the hospital, authorities and witnesses said.
The crash happened between 1:30 and 2 a.m. near Myers Road and Imperial Highway, according to the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. CHP said the crash was a hit-and-run involving one vehicle that struck six parked cars.
Witnesses said that after the initial impact, the driver tried to free his truck by rocking it back and forth while one of the cars remained stuck to the front bumper. He managed to drive across the street before neighbors pulled him from the cab.
However, the man managed to break free from the crowd and then ran into a nearby water canal, tumbling down a hill and injuring himself.
“He was on the floor … when he went down into the ditch, he had blood coming out of his neck,” said resident Eliza Ramos.
Authorities did not immediately specify the driver’s injuries, but video from the scene shows a pool of blood where he fell. He was later taken away by ambulance.
Residents also said two people who were asleep inside their vehicles at the time of the crash were transported to the hospital for evaluation. CHP has not confirmed those injuries, but said all vehicles involved sustained damage.
Another neighbor, Marisol Vargas, said that three of her family’s cars were destroyed in the crash.
“My car, as you can see, it’s flipped to the side,” Vargas said. “I’m just trying to put this together and see what was going on with this person that he damaged three of our cars.”
At least three of the cars — including an SUV that rolled onto its side, a work van and a pickup — were totaled and had to be towed from the area, according to neighbors.
CHP said no arrests have been made and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Alexis Lewis and Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.
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