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CNN Live At Daybreak
Tragedy at Southern California Farmer's Market
Aired July 17, 2003 - 05:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now back to that tragedy at a southern California farmer's market`. Again, nine dead and more than 50 injured after an elderly man ran his car through the crowd. Late last night the driver, Russell Weller, released a statement through his attorney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM BIANCO, WELLER FAMILY ATTORNEY: Mr. Weller and his family want to express their deepest sympathies to the victims and their families of the tragic accident earlier today. This was an unintentional and unfortunate accident. Mr. Weller is very shaken up, but his thoughts tonight are with the victims and their families. In light of the ongoing investigation, in which we are cooperating fully, we would decline to make any further statements at this time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: CNN's Dan Lothian has more on the fatal crash.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The weekly Santa Monica farmer's market, just minutes from closing, suddenly erupts into chaos.
GREG GRAEFF, WITNESS: I saw a triage going on. Probably about 40 people got all the way down to other end where the car was. The car was wrecked up pretty bad, a dead body in front covered. I've never seen anything like it. It's totally incredible.
LOTHIAN: Police say an 86-year-old man behind the wheel of a fast moving 1992 Buick he claims he couldn't stop plows through three and a half blocks of a crowded street closed to traffic.
LORE CAULFIELD, WITNESS: It was like a Sherman tank barreling through, hitting everything and just going right over people.
ERIC LEONARD, POOL REPORTER: There's fruits and vegetables jammed into some of the broken pieces of the car, shoes laying on the top of the car and airbags went off. There's also a dead body laying right in front of the car, and that's where the police say the driver finally stopped.
LOTHIAN: Vendors and shoppers became victims, a trail of death, destruction and disturbing scenes. Even difficult for the city's police chief to talk about. CHIEF JAMES BUTTS, JR., SANTA MONICA POLICE: They were confronted with the single most devastating accident scene that I've ever witnessed in 30 years in law enforcement.
LOTHIAN: At least 100 emergency crews and police responded. Some victims were treated on the scene. Others were rushed immediately to area hospitals. An overwhelming task in a beachside community stunned by the damage caused by one fast moving car. Police say the driver tells them that he saw the market but simply couldn't stop, apparently pressing the gas pedal instead of the brakes. He has been questioned extensively and released without charges, but authorities say he could face negligence charges in the future.
Dan Lothian, CNN, Santa Monica.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And for more on this story, including more eyewitness accounts, log onto cnn.com or go to AOL, where the keyword is CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 17, 2003 - 05:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now back to that tragedy at a southern California farmer's market`. Again, nine dead and more than 50 injured after an elderly man ran his car through the crowd. Late last night the driver, Russell Weller, released a statement through his attorney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM BIANCO, WELLER FAMILY ATTORNEY: Mr. Weller and his family want to express their deepest sympathies to the victims and their families of the tragic accident earlier today. This was an unintentional and unfortunate accident. Mr. Weller is very shaken up, but his thoughts tonight are with the victims and their families. In light of the ongoing investigation, in which we are cooperating fully, we would decline to make any further statements at this time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: CNN's Dan Lothian has more on the fatal crash.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The weekly Santa Monica farmer's market, just minutes from closing, suddenly erupts into chaos.
GREG GRAEFF, WITNESS: I saw a triage going on. Probably about 40 people got all the way down to other end where the car was. The car was wrecked up pretty bad, a dead body in front covered. I've never seen anything like it. It's totally incredible.
LOTHIAN: Police say an 86-year-old man behind the wheel of a fast moving 1992 Buick he claims he couldn't stop plows through three and a half blocks of a crowded street closed to traffic.
LORE CAULFIELD, WITNESS: It was like a Sherman tank barreling through, hitting everything and just going right over people.
ERIC LEONARD, POOL REPORTER: There's fruits and vegetables jammed into some of the broken pieces of the car, shoes laying on the top of the car and airbags went off. There's also a dead body laying right in front of the car, and that's where the police say the driver finally stopped.
LOTHIAN: Vendors and shoppers became victims, a trail of death, destruction and disturbing scenes. Even difficult for the city's police chief to talk about. CHIEF JAMES BUTTS, JR., SANTA MONICA POLICE: They were confronted with the single most devastating accident scene that I've ever witnessed in 30 years in law enforcement.
LOTHIAN: At least 100 emergency crews and police responded. Some victims were treated on the scene. Others were rushed immediately to area hospitals. An overwhelming task in a beachside community stunned by the damage caused by one fast moving car. Police say the driver tells them that he saw the market but simply couldn't stop, apparently pressing the gas pedal instead of the brakes. He has been questioned extensively and released without charges, but authorities say he could face negligence charges in the future.
Dan Lothian, CNN, Santa Monica.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And for more on this story, including more eyewitness accounts, log onto cnn.com or go to AOL, where the keyword is CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
