Man drives truck on busy sidewalk in California, hitting nine pedestrians

A man on early Sunday drove his truck onto the sidewalk of a busy street in Fullerton of Orange County, California, striking nine pedestrians before hitting a tree, according to local police.

The accident occurred at approximately 1:48 a.m. Sunday. Fullerton police officers responded to the area of 100 W. Santa Fe avenue in the city, and found several pedestrians struck by a red Toyota Tacoma.

An investigator with the Fullerton Police Department gathers evidence from an early-morning accident involving a suspected DUI driver on Sunday, February 10, 2019, in Fullerton, California. [Photo: AP]

They were trapped underneath the truck, which was smoking, front damaged and airbags deployed. Officers lifted the truck to free the pedestrians.

Ten people, aged from 18 to 49, were transported to local trauma centers with moderate to critical life-threatening injuries.

As of press time, Fullerton police refused to disclose more information regarding the condition of the injured.

The driver, identified as Christopher Solis, 22, from Anaheim, California, was suspected to have been driving under the influence of drugs at the time of the collision. He was arrested for felony DUI (driving under the influence).

Three other vehicles were found with minor to moderate damage as well.

"Due to the time and location of where this accident occurred, hundreds of people were on the sidewalk, in the parking lots, and to the front of nearby restaurants and bars during bar closing time," an unnamed police officer said.