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| Date | July 16, 2003 |
|---|---|
| Location | Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Type | Vehicle-ramming attack |
| Deaths | 10 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 70 |
| Accused | George Weller |
On the afternoon of July 16, 2003, George Weller, then age 86, drove his 1992 Buick LeSabre westbound down Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica, California, toward the city's popular Third Street Promenade. The last few blocks of the street, before it ends at the bluffs overlooking Pacific Coast Highway, had been closed to vehicle traffic for the biweekly farmers' market.
Weller's car struck a 2003 Mercedes-Benz S430 sedan that had stopped to allow pedestrians through a crosswalk, then accelerated around a road closure sign, crashed through wooden sawhorses, and plowed through the busy marketplace crowd, traveling nearly 1,000 feet (300 m) at speeds between 40 and 60 mph (60 and 100 km/h). The entire sequence of collisions took at least ten seconds.
By the time the car came to a halt, Weller had killed ten people and injured 70. Weller told investigators he had accidentally placed his foot on the accelerator pedal instead of the brake, then tried to brake but could not stop.
On May 22, 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported that the City of Santa Monica had thus far paid out $21 million to settle dozens of civil lawsuits stemming from the case. The same article also noted that Weller, age 91, was now confined to his home and receiving 24-hour nursing care.
Weller died on December 9, 2010, aged 94.
See also
Notes
- Richard Winton and Martha Groves (May 22, 2008). "Case is closed on deadly day at market". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
External links
- "Judge: Market crash driver too ill for prison". CNN.com. 2006-11-20.
- "Driver charged in fatal farmers' market crash". CNN.com. 2004-01-05. Retrieved 2007-07-06.
- "SMPD Files Farmers' Market Case with D.A., Recommends Charge of Manslaughter". Santa Monica Mirror. 2004-12-23. Archived from the original on November 7, 2004. Retrieved 2007-07-06.
- Verhoeven, Peter (2005-01-05). "86-year-old man drove at speeds of 40 to 60 miles per hour into a crowd of people gathered at an outdoor Farmers Market in downtown Santa Monica". magnifiers.org. Archived from the original on October 15, 2006. Retrieved 2007-07-06.
- Herrera, Kevin (2006-06-24). "Judge Rules That Step Up On Second Must Also Stand Trial". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
- Spano, John (2006-09-04). "Trial in market crash set to begin". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2009-09-02.
34°00′55″N 118°29′47″W / 34.0153°N 118.4964°W / 34.0153; -118.4964
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