Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the suspect was released only until investigators can develop more evidence and present a stronger case for prosecutors. Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of peace officers in Wednesday’s crash that injured 25 recruits, but jail records show he was released at 9:49 p.m. due to insufficient evidence of the crime. “Due to the extreme complexity of the investigation, which includes ongoing interviews, video surveillance review and additional evidence that needs to be analyzed, homicide investigators have released Mr. Gutierrez from Sheriff’s custody,” a news release from authorities said. RELATED: Wrong-way driver hits law enforcement recruits jogging in Whittier “I have no doubt that a thorough investigation will confirm that Nicholas is a hard-working young man who has no animosity toward law enforcement and that this was an absolutely tragic accident,” Alexandra Kazarian, Gutierrez’s attorney, said in a statement to an eyewitness. News. The case was expected to be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office on Friday, but Villanueva told a cable news network that the suspect would be “temporarily” released as investigators worked to build a stronger case. “Right now, we want to tie up all the loose ends of the case and then present it to the DA,” Villanueva said in an interview with NewsNation. A Sheriff’s Department investigator told Eyewitness News Thursday that they believed the suspect hit the recruits on purpose. The video shows SUVs colliding with recruits Villanueva previously said the crash was an accident, however, authorities say based on preliminary information and further evidence gathered led them to believe the suspect crashed into the group on purpose. The incident unfolded early Wednesday morning in the South Whittier area near Mills Avenue and Trumball Street. Villanueva said a class of about 75 recruits was out jogging as part of a training exercise when the driver veered onto the wrong side of the road and crashed into the group. The crash left the 25 recruits with injuries ranging from head trauma to limb loss. Five of them were seriously injured. Some recruits said they heard the vehicle accelerate and was going about 30 to 40 miles per hour before it hit a utility pole, Villanueva said Wednesday. Villanueva said the driver was given a field sobriety test shortly after the crash and “blew a 0.0.” The scene after the crash was chaotic and authorities said it looked like a plane wreck. Deputies received assistance from a nearby county fire station and immediately transported some of the more seriously injured directly to hospitals. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
