(Trends Wide) — A man died after driving onto a sidewalk in an attempt to run over pedestrians before bystanders pulled him from the car and allegedly attacked him in California on Saturday.
The driver was involved in a verbal altercation around midnight inside a business in Hawthorne, after which he was asked to leave, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) said in a press release. Hawthorne is about 15 miles from Los Angeles.
The man left but came back and drove his truck onto the sidewalk, nearly hitting several people, according to the statement. He eventually lost control of his car and hit a tree.
Bystanders tried to pull the man out of his truck, but he was able to get away quickly before crashing into a building. Bystanders then pulled him out of the car and a “physical altercation ensued,” the statement said.
“Hawthorne police officers saw the driver lying on the ground, suffering what appeared to be blunt force trauma,” the LASD said. “Paramedics provided measures to save his life, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The identity of the driver has not been released. The cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Hawthorne Police Department are investigating the incident and urge anyone with information to contact the LASD Homicide Office at (323) 890-5500.
