PICTURED: Afghanistan war vet who 'intentionally' plowed into a crowd of pedestrians in Silicon Valley, injuring eight, before stumbling out of the car and saying 'I love you Jesus' in incident FBI says could be domestic terrorism
- Isaiah Joel Peoples, 34, was named as the driver who 'deliberately' plowed his car through a group of pedestrians, injuring eight, Tuesday night
- He was an Afghanistan war veteran with PTSD, according to his brother
- He spent a year in a mental hospital in 2015 and is also on medication
- He is a military contractor, formerly worked as a civil affairs specialist in army
- The horrific crash took place at 6.40pm at El Camino Real road where he plowed through a group of pedestrians then smashed into a tree
- Witnesses said he stumbled out of his car repeating 'I love you, Jesus'
- All eight people were taken to hospital - the youngest victim being 13-years-old
- He may face attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges
- Police said they could not rule out domestic terrorism as possible motive
- Two victims are currently in intensive care, and another two are listed
Isaiah Joel Peoples, 35, has been named as the man who 'deliberately' drove his car into a group of pedestrians on Tuesday evening, injuring eight people
The driver who 'deliberately' plowed his car through a group of pedestrians injuring eight - including a 13-year-old girl - has been identified as an Afghanistan war veteran who suffers from PTSD.
Isaiah Joel Peoples, 34, was named as the suspect driver by Sunnyvale Police on Wednesday afternoon.
His brother Joshua Peoples said Isaiah served in Afghanistan and suffers from PTSD.
He spent a year in a mental hospital in 2015 and is also on medication, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sunnyvale police said they could not rule out domestic terrorism as a possible motive in Tuesday night’s crash. The FBI is assisting in the investigation.
'I’m completely shocked this happened. My brother is a really good kid. He doesn’t do drugs and rarely drinks,' Joshua Peoples said.
'He’s always just trying to do good for himself. I really believe him going to the Army and Afghanistan messed up his mental health,' he added.
Authorities say Peoples, a Sunnyvale resident, may be facing attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and other charges for the attack.
He was behind the wheel of a black 2012 Toyota Corolla that crashed into a group of people waiting to cross the street at 6.40pm on Tuesday evening at the busy intersection between El Camino Real and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road.
After ramming throw the pedestrians, he crashed his car into a tree.
Witnesses on the scene said he stumbled out of his car after the crash repeating, 'I love you, Jesus', seemingly in a daze, as he gave himself up to police.
Peoples is an Afghanistan war veteran and military contractor who suffers from PTSD
He also served in Iraq as an Army sharpshooter but was discharged because of his PTSD
He was behind the wheel of a black 2012 Toyota Corolla that crashed into a group of people waiting to cross the street at 6.40pm on Tuesday evening
San Jose resident Don Draper said he saw the crash unfold as he was stopped for a red light.
'Several people got hit. One person, a woman, was launched in the air right in front of me. She was upside down, feet pointing straight up, flipped around and landed right in front of my car,' Draper said to Mercury News.
Draper ran out of his car to chase after the driver.
'He kept repeating, mumbling over and over again, "I love you, Jesus" and "Jesus, I love you." He seemed to be dazed. At this point, I walked back from where the car was, toward the intersection and dialed 911. I was so nervous and upset, I was having trouble dialing,' he added, noting Peoples' speech was not slurred and he didn't appear to be under the influence.
Then Peoples gave himself up to police.
'He came out of his vehicle and basically gave up. It looks like he was waiting for the police to arrive on the scene,' Choi said.
Eight of those pedestrians - including a 13-year-old girl - were injured and taken to the hospital, some suffering serious injuries.
The car deliberately drove onto a sidewalk and into a group of pedestrians, injuring eight people including a 13-year-old girl, before smashing into a tree
The black 2012 Toyota Corolla rammed into a group of people waiting to cross at the busy intersection between El Camino Real and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road
The man in the car was arrested after he plowed though the group and smashed into a tree
Following the crash two people are listed in serious condition at Valley Medical Center in San Jose, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Three other victims were admitted to Stanford Healthcare's Emergency Department, a spokeswoman for the hospital said. One of those was discharged, two others remain in the intensive care unit.
Peoples had a clean driving record and a valid driver's license and a car registration, according to the DMV.
He is an active employee at Western Region Defense Contractors Audit Agency, a military audit agency headquartered in Virginia. He's been employed there since August 20, 2017, according to the local newspaper.
According to his LinkedIn page he studied at Sacramento State University and worked for a year and three months as a civil affairs specialist in the army.
Peoples' mother Leevell Peoples defended her son as a 'model citizen' on Wednesday, saying the only situation in which he'd launch an attack is due to a bout with PTSD.
She said he was an Army sharpshooter in Iraq but was discharged because of his PTSD.
She adds he had 'a bad episode' with PTSD about two years ago.
The eight victims were taken to a hospital following the crash
It happened just around 6:30 pm at El Camino and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road in Sunnyvale, CA
A twisted bike could be seen at the side of the road where the accident happened
Witnesses say there was no apparent attempt by the driver to avoid a collision or to stop
On Wednesday morning police were stationed outside of his Lincoln Glen apartment. Locals confirmed he lived in the complex.
Around 11am officers forced entry into his home by leaning a ladder against the building and using an ax to break the apartment's sliding glass balcony door to serve a search warrant.
The FBI is investigating the case and said it is 'assessing the situation to determine federal involvement. Should it be determined that a federal crime was committed, we will become more involved.'
'It looks like, based upon the preliminary investigation, that a driver deliberately drove into a group of eight pedestrians,' said Capt. Jim Choi of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said following the crash.
Choi told ABC: 'We do have witness statements that show that vehicle did not attempt to slow down or brake.'
He added, 'The scene itself doesn't show any evidence of braking.'
Following the crash debris was found littered all over the intersection. Among the wreckage a mangled bicycle was seen strewn across the pavement and the road.
The remains of two mangled bicycles evidence that something appalling occurred here
At a news conference officials said some patients had serious injuries, but their conditions were unknown. Pictured is the intersection where the collision occurred
The roads were closed for much of the evening as police carried out an investigation
All eight people were taken to hospital - the youngest victim being 13-years-old
- Car plows into pedestrians in Silicon Valley, injuring 8 people - BNO News
- Driver arrested after deliberately hitting 8 people with car in Sunnyvale, officials say | abc7news.com
- Sunnyvale, California: Car rams into 8 people at intersection, possibly on purpose - CBS News
- Driver injures 8 in Sunnyvale crash; might be intentional
- Suspected driver in horrific Sunnyvale crash said, ‘Thank you, Jesus’ over and over - SFChronicle.com
