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Out-Of-Control Car Leaves Carnage in its Wake
Aired July 17, 2003 - 14:07 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The single most horrific devastating scene of tragedy that has ever been witnessed. That's how Santa Monica Police Chief James Butts describes the carnage after an out-of- control car ran through a crowded farmers' market. The toll: nine dead, more than 50 injured.
CNN's Miguel Marquez has some new information about the 86-year- old driver facing possible manslaughter charges now -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, those manslaughter charges are only a possibility at this point, Kyra. We're about 20 hours after this horrific scene took place at the farmers' market here in Santa Monica yesterday.
Take a look behind me here you can see they're starting to clean this thing up. This may be the only sliver of good news we've had all day today. They're about to open up Arizona Avenue here in Santa Monica where the farmers' market was.
The hows and whys of this thing are still being investigated though. Investigators are looking at basically two lines on this thing. Was the 86-year-old diminished in some way keeping him from driving properly or did his car suffer some sort of mechanical failure?
Russell Weller (ph) does have a valid California driver's license. It has no restrictions. We've also confirmed that he has no accidents or violations on his record and that in November, 2000 he passed written and vision tests.
Police are looking and talking to over 100 witnesses out here. They are going through physical evidence gathered here at the scene. It's going to be about two to three weeks to process that witness says the police chief.
We talked to the police chief of Santa Monica earlier this morning. He talked about the horrific scene out here yesterday and how it struck a blow to the city of Santa Monica and how it's making his investigation just that much more important.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF JAMES BUTTS, JR., SANTA MONICA POLICE: Dents on the car, the windshield was shattered. There were dents on the roof of the car indicating that possibly people may have been thrown up in the air and bounced over the car. One person was dragged for what it looked like to be a block.
This was horrific and I want to take a moment to say on behalf of the city of Santa Monica our hearts and our condolences go out to all the families and all the victims that were touched by this tragedy and we're going to do everything that we can to find out what happened and bring justice if justice can be done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, as part of that bringing justice, they did a search warrant. They conducted a search at Mr. Weller's house last night here in Santa Monica, the police chief saying they were looking for any evidence of prescription drugs or anything that would indicate that he had some sort of impairment or diminished driving capability.
They said the only thing they found was that the back of the garage apparently that it looked like the car had crashed into it at some point. They're not entirely sure of that yet but that's something that may contribute to this case if it ever becomes a manslaughter case -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Miguel Marquez, thank you so much.
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 - 14:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The single most horrific devastating scene of tragedy that has ever been witnessed. That's how Santa Monica Police Chief James Butts describes the carnage after an out-of- control car ran through a crowded farmers' market. The toll: nine dead, more than 50 injured.
CNN's Miguel Marquez has some new information about the 86-year- old driver facing possible manslaughter charges now -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, those manslaughter charges are only a possibility at this point, Kyra. We're about 20 hours after this horrific scene took place at the farmers' market here in Santa Monica yesterday.
Take a look behind me here you can see they're starting to clean this thing up. This may be the only sliver of good news we've had all day today. They're about to open up Arizona Avenue here in Santa Monica where the farmers' market was.
The hows and whys of this thing are still being investigated though. Investigators are looking at basically two lines on this thing. Was the 86-year-old diminished in some way keeping him from driving properly or did his car suffer some sort of mechanical failure?
Russell Weller (ph) does have a valid California driver's license. It has no restrictions. We've also confirmed that he has no accidents or violations on his record and that in November, 2000 he passed written and vision tests.
Police are looking and talking to over 100 witnesses out here. They are going through physical evidence gathered here at the scene. It's going to be about two to three weeks to process that witness says the police chief.
We talked to the police chief of Santa Monica earlier this morning. He talked about the horrific scene out here yesterday and how it struck a blow to the city of Santa Monica and how it's making his investigation just that much more important.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF JAMES BUTTS, JR., SANTA MONICA POLICE: Dents on the car, the windshield was shattered. There were dents on the roof of the car indicating that possibly people may have been thrown up in the air and bounced over the car. One person was dragged for what it looked like to be a block.
This was horrific and I want to take a moment to say on behalf of the city of Santa Monica our hearts and our condolences go out to all the families and all the victims that were touched by this tragedy and we're going to do everything that we can to find out what happened and bring justice if justice can be done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, as part of that bringing justice, they did a search warrant. They conducted a search at Mr. Weller's house last night here in Santa Monica, the police chief saying they were looking for any evidence of prescription drugs or anything that would indicate that he had some sort of impairment or diminished driving capability.
They said the only thing they found was that the back of the garage apparently that it looked like the car had crashed into it at some point. They're not entirely sure of that yet but that's something that may contribute to this case if it ever becomes a manslaughter case -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Miguel Marquez, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
