Occupy DC: Car Drives Through Crowd Near Protest And Strikes 3 People, Say Authorities

WASHINGTON — District of Columbia police said early Saturday that a driver will not be charged for striking three people taking part in an Occupy DC protest in downtown Washington.

Lt. Christopher Micciche (MITCH'-ih-kay) of the D.C. police said the driver was not cited because he had a green light when his vehicle struck the three on Friday night.

He said witnesses told police that the three pedestrians "either ran toward or jumped in front of the moving vehicle." He said one pedestrian jumped on the hood of the car. One of them was cited for being in the roadway.

"The protesters were apparently trying to block the roadway," Micciche said. "It was essentially an accident where three individuals were injured but they were in violation by being in the roadway."

D.C. fire department spokesman Lon Walls said Saturday morning that the three were transported to two area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

Hundreds of protesters affiliated with Occupy DC shut down streets Friday near the city's convention center in downtown, where a conservative group was gathering.

The male driver of the vehicle was traveling southbound on 7th Street NW at K Street NW when the accident occurred at about 10 p.m.

The names of the driver and protesters were not immediately available.

One protester, 29-year-old Jesse Folks of Riverdale, Md., told The Washington Post that he was standing in the street with other demonstrators near the convention center when the car "just gassed it into a bunch of people."

"We were in the street, but this guy didn't even give us a chance to get out of the way," Folks said.

Micciche said witnesses provided a different account.

"They probably thought the driver would either stop or be able to stop, but it didn't appear that was the case."

 

 

Comments

[1Truthseeker]

10:56 AM on 11/11/2011

The ones who deride and wish harm to the participants of the Occupy Wall Street Movement are the same ones fighting for the entitlements and privileges of the 1% who have been and continue to hoard the wealth created by all working people! 99% continue to be legally stripped of a living and prosperous wage, their voice in the government shut out by big money, and the safety and security of their families jeopardized by the greedy exploitations and confiscations of other peoples wealth and resources by US corporations global war mongering! Since when does the right of way entitle a drivers to use their car to hit human beings who are in their way. These protectors of the 1% see justification in inflicting bodily harm on those fighting for justice! This is not a digital game, these are people!

[ShawnRay]

05:38 AM on 11/09/2011

That is what you get. Don't harass people.

[MMRDO]

12:20 AM on 11/09/2011

Mom was right, don't play in the street.

[Dead Ted]

08:07 PM on 11/07/2011

Hey HuffPo, are you gonna report on the OWS thugs assulting an elderly lady?

http://nation.foxnews.com/occupy-wall-street/2011/11/07/occupy-dc-goons-push-elderly-woman-down-stairs

[shakesome]

01:58 PM on 11/07/2011

Look at the links. OWS shoving people, knocking down elderly ladies, preventing them citizens from exercise of their right to assemble based on those people's political beliefs; blocking their cars, selectively allowing people to travel based on their perceived political affiliation (based on their perceived income level)...

In the course of which the OWS activists suffered consequences.

Oooops!

[Lindsay Caron]

12:36 PM on 11/07/2011

Wow! So many people filled with hatred are posting on this site!! Pedestrians were struck. It is quite arguable who was at fault (pedestrians or driver). Is there no humanity? Show some remorse!!!
And for those of you ragging on the occupiers: many of them have jobs, and many others are at the mercy of lengthy unemployment periods caused by this recession. And yet there are some who actually fit the label you put on them (lazy, seeking handouts). But that latter is a small percentage. And ALL of them believe they are participating in this occupation for the greater good - for YOUR good. So all you hard working individuals who cheer on acts of violence against these people, should realize they are standing out there defending YOUR rights, hoping to lower YOUR taxes, hoping to strengthen OUR country and its economy. Do not fall for the media lies that liberals and conservatives - or Tea Partiers and Occupiers - are enemies. We overlap on many issues and should respect each other and work together; it's the only way to end corruption and make positive change.

[smallpawsdk]

01:00 PM on 11/07/2011

#17 F&F

[shakesome]

01:19 PM on 11/07/2011

I'm guessing no "Pedestrian­s" (people traveling by foot) were struck... I'm guessing people blocking the roadway were struck. A world of difference.

[Kim BabbittLueger]

09:21 AM on 11/08/2011

Key word is you're GUESSING!!!!!!!!!!!

[GnomeAlone]

11:44 AM on 11/07/2011

I think all the local Occupy cities are important but I'd like to see one coalesce to Occupy Congress (or the Capitol). As large and vocal as it can get. All day, all night, everyday until Congress and the Capitol Police are tied up in knots and Congress gets the message.

[glassjaw]

10:48 AM on 11/07/2011

Ya notice none of the Occupiers have tried to block NFL fans from getting to the stadiums ?

I am hoping they try it next Sunday near Soldier Field

[rsicorp]

10:13 PM on 11/06/2011

The democrats own this movement. None of them distance themselves from the aggressive and violent behavior. On the other hand they are making excuses for them and supporting them. This will come back to haunt them and to those excusing what is happening, shame on you. You do your country a disservice.

[Sister Bluebird]

09:21 AM on 11/07/2011

I know, the next thing you know we will be out cutting the gas lines to people's houses and throwing bricks through windows calling for armed resistance--OH WAIT that was the Teabaggers!

[smallpawsdk]

12:50 PM on 11/07/2011

I know and they keep saying they've been peaceful. Hypocrites.

[BMcCue7]

12:51 PM on 11/07/2011

Not to mention the aggressive and violent comments from Rightwingers on this site about all of this.

[simpleperson]

07:00 PM on 11/06/2011

"witnesses told police that the three pedestrians "either ran toward or jumped in front of the moving vehicle.""

And they wonder why people will not give them a job.

[glassjaw]

10:44 AM on 11/07/2011

Hey,,, they would be perfect crash dummies

[smallpawsdk]

01:07 PM on 11/07/2011

Two of those people were a woman who was pregnant and a 13 year old boy. I seriously doubt they jumped out in front of a car on purpose. This was staged and it went to far so someone is covering this up. Hopefully the truth comes out and those who did this will have some explaining to do and taken to jail.

[marbiol]

03:46 PM on 11/06/2011

THIS IS WHAT democracy looks like---and THIS is how we treat those hatefilled racist teabagger!!!

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/11/rampaging-occupiers-attack-78-year-old-woman.php


I hope they FINALLY get the message!!!

[Dead Ted]

08:09 PM on 11/07/2011

Peaceful progressives.

[marbiol]

10:40 PM on 11/07/2011

C'MON MAN!!! You cant really equate beating a septugenarian by the peaceful OWS progressives with...well....let me trhink...ummmmmmm...oh--...no....let me think...some more....then there was............ooops....

Well anyhow--we KNOW the teabags are rascist homophobes---and WEALTHY--the MSM told me so!!!!

[BHirsh]

03:32 PM on 11/06/2011

Citizen motorists 5
Occupy Scum 0

[Priori Decoherence]

03:07 PM on 11/06/2011

The headline for this article is very irresponsible. It implies something that the body of the article states did not occur.

[NY Guy]

09:43 AM on 11/06/2011

Please tell me the 3 were Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon and Jesse Jackson.

[simpleperson]

07:01 PM on 11/06/2011

If the HMS Moore had been involved we would have read about he driver death.

[Michael5555]

08:54 AM on 11/06/2011

Good, these people have already proven that at any point in time they are prone to violence, whoes to say they wouldn't have thrown a brick through this mans window and drug him out the car and beat him ?

[Esther21072011]

09:42 AM on 11/06/2011

Reginald Denny comes to mind......

[Ioan Lightoller]

07:58 AM on 11/07/2011

Actually I was thinking Rodney King.