Twitter A suspected drunk driver hit three cars in California on August 22. Bystanders say responding LAPD officers did not administer a breathalyzer.
A video of a suspected drunk driver in California is raising eyebrows after the man is shown stumbling away from a crash scene while local police watch.
The suspected DUI driver crashed on August 22 into three parked cars in Los Feliz, according to CBS Los Angeles and Fox 11. Bystander footage shows the man floundering around his vehicle while having a hard time standing up.
The footage, first posted on Instagram by witness Katy Wicker, captures the driver attempting to get back into his vehicle with keys in hand — despite the presence of Los Angeles police officers.
Wicker, who knows the owner of one of the damaged cars, told Fox 11 that law enforcement did not attempt to breathalyze the man or administer a sobriety test — and eventually let him go. In the video, bystanders are heard harping on police, asking why they didn’t do more to intervene.
After a wave of backlash online, the Los Angeles Police Department announced on Monday that it is investigating the responding officers, CBS Los Angeles said.
LAPD told the station that “officers on the scene make the call of whether to conduct a field sobriety test.”
Here’s what you need to know about the crash:
Witnesses Say the Driver Was Making a Left Turn When he Hit the Vehicles, Causing A Lot of Damage
Wicker, a resident in the area, told CBS Los Angeles that she started recording the aftermath around 4 p.m. Footage shows the man stepping out of his damaged Dodge Charger and falling over into the grassy median.
“He was completely intoxicated the entire time,” she told the station. “It was apparent to everyone that was there. He was yelling at everyone. He was yelling aggressive comments at police officers, at the ambulance that was there, at the tow truck driver, and he literally stumbled away.”
“He could have killed someone,” Wicker added. “He could have injured people. He could have done a lot more damage than he did.”
A woman who owns one of the cars that were hit said she identified the driver through her insurance company, CBS Los Angeles said.
She also told Fox 11 that she is considering suing the driver and police department.
Many Have Since Taken to Social Media to Air Their Grievances With the Los Angeles Police Force
Footage of the suspected drunk driver emerged in the wake of the fatal shooting of Dijon Kizzee on August 31 by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies.
Many pointed out the contrast in the police response between the suspected drunk driver and Kizzee, who was killed after he was stopped for a “vehicle code violation” while riding his bicycle.
Twitter users called out the police department for indulging in “white privilege” while dealing with the suspected drunk driver.
Below are some of the responses:
Popular Twitter Account “Fifty Shades of Whey” shared the video on September 1, with the caption: “Drunk man in Los Angeles hits 3 parked cars & the LAPD lets him go without a breathalyzer.”
It has since amassed more than 20,000 views and a wave of critical responses.
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