Car kills 8, wounds 31 at Santa Monica Farmers Market

[nystate]

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — A car drove several blocks through a crowded farmers market Wednesday afternoon, killing up to eight people and injuring 31 pedestrians, nine critically.

One of the fatalities was a 2-year-old girl, according to the Santa Monica Police Department (search).

Firefighters and ambulances converged on the market area in the oceanside city's downtown and treated the injured in a large triage area.

Twisted market tents and crumpled boxes of produce lay smashed on the ground along the route of destruction. TV news reports showed a red car with a smashed front end and damage to its roof. What appeared to be shoes were on its roof.

Witness Rony Soussan told KCAL-TV the driver was speeding through the area.

"He just plowed through them like it was nothing," Soussan said.

Ronald Gaba, who works for Acadie restaurant on Arizona Street (search) said he was working inside when he heard screams from the sidewalk.

"During the time, there was a lot crying," Gaba said. "I came outside and saw one body covered by a cloth. I can't describe what is happening, it's something I've never seen before. I don't know who would do this kind of thing."

The incident lasted only a few seconds.

"Some people couldn't even attempt to get out of the way," Soussan said. Others were struck by the car and rolled from its hood, he said.

The market occupies two blocks along Arizona Avenue in the oceanside city, bisecting its popular Third Street pedestrian promenade (search). It draws 9,000 shoppers.

Witness David Allwas told KABC-TV by telephone that he was in a nearby bank when the car plowed through the market.

"My friend was at the ATM and I heard it and I turned around and all I saw was this ... red car, just go right through the crowd, I mean there were people flying anywhere, I was shocked," Allwas said. "I had to call my parents just to get a grip."

He said the driver of the car was a man in his 70s and it looked like he might be having a heart attack.

"His arm was straight on the wheel and his body was stiff," Allwas said.

"You just have to pray because I saw this little girl get CPR and I saw this other woman who I think died," he said.

He said he saw 10 to 12 people bleeding and injured.

"I saw it right there, bam. I just missed it by a few seconds. And I was devastated, I couldn't breathe," Allwas said.

"There were people bleeding everywhere. ... There were people crying everywhere," he said.

Fox News' Adam Housley and The Associated Press contributed to this repo

[weatherlover427]

The number is up to 10 critical injuries and 40 minor injuries now. I am watching this on TV.

[mf_dolphin]

Keep us filled in Joshua. This is such a waste of life and so so tragic....

[WidreMann]

This is terrible. And I just saw what could have been a pretty bad accident last night. There was a motorcycle on the road and a car and a whole bunch of police cars, and I know how it is for people who get in accidents on motor cycles.

[rainstorm]

the killer was in his late 80's. he had no business behind the wheel of a car. as soon as i heard about it, my first thought was an elderly person did it. the sad thing is, no one will pay for this useless carnage

[Colin]

Unbelievable...

[weatherlover427]

I am now hearing anywhere from 35 to 45 injuries; about 10 to 14 of which are critical. The youngest fatality is a 3 year old. During the cleanup; a heavy monsoon shower moved through the area; hampering the cleanup efforts. I saw that on TV; as it was part of the same band which moved through my area about 45 minutes prior. Hospitals in the area went into disaster mode as soon as they heard about this tragedy. The calls about this event began to come in at 1:47 PM; which is when the shopkeepers were beginning to close for the day (seeing as how the Farmer's Market closes at 2 PM). By 1:50 PM; many units were already arriving on scene. The driver of the car passed his initial blood and breathalyzer tests. The cleanup is expected to last until at least 11 PM PDT.

[JetMaxx]

It's not just elderly drivers that do crazy things behind the wheel....the other day in metro Atlanta, some 30'ish woman drove her car into a house....and no one knows why yet (she's in jail and won't even give them her name).

Last week some guy got ticked off at his landlord and plowed ANOTHER of the guys rental houses...almost killing a single mom and her two innocent kids that had nothing to do with him being evicted. The guy plowed this poor woman's home, backed out, took off and is still on the run tonight....it's insane!

I feel so badly for those victims there in Santa Monica It's almost getting dangerous to leave the house....can't even go to the market without worrying about some crazy running you down

[mf_dolphin]

The 9th victim died overnight. The question now is whether or not driver should have to pass a road test after a certain age to retain their driver's license.

[JCT777]

This is a terrible tragedy indeed. I also believe that people over a certain age should have to a road test to retain their driver's license - but there will always be those that will drive anyway. Someone I know had their license suspended for over a year, and yet they continued to drive.

[David]

The 9th victim died overnight. The question now is whether or not driver should have to pass a road test after a certain age to retain their driver's license.

Well, I hear that he meant to hit brake, he hit gas. Some people also though they though he was having a heart attack.

Either way, I belive he made a mistake, yet it was fatal in the process.

[wx247]

Yeah... I heard the heart attack theory as well. Do we yet know why he did it?