22-year-old Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez was released from jail on Thursday night, after he was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder on a peace officer(s) when his SUV veered into a group of police recruits on a training exercise this week.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (via ABC 7), the suspect was released at 9:49pm PT last night so investigators could build a stronger case for prosecutors. The Sheriff’s Department has 48 hours to present their case following an arrest and they simply weren’t ready yet.
“It’s not like they arrested the wrong suspect,” Deputy Deanna Mares told CNN. “They just want to make sure the investigation is going to be complete.”
“Due to the extreme complexity of the investigation, which includes ongoing interviews, video surveillance review, and additional evidence needed to be analyzed, homicide investigators have released Mr. Gutierrez from the Sheriff’s Department custody,” read a news release.
Added L.A. County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Sgt. Gerardo Magos: “The evidence is there. We just want to make sure it’s properly presented.”
In an interview with NewsNation on Thursday, Villanueva said investigators “developed probable cause to believe [the crash] was intentional.” So far, no details have been released as to why they believe it was an intentional act.
However, Gutierrez’s attorney, Alexandra Kazarian, told ABC 7 she had “no doubt that an in-depth investigation will confirm that Nicholas is a hard working young man who holds no animosity towards law enforcement, and this was an absolutely tragic accident.”
On Wednesday, a group of approximately 75 recruits were on a jog as part of training in Whittier when a Honda CR-V going 30-40mph in the wrong direction drove right into them. The vehicle then struck a light pole, with the driver sustaining minor injuries before cadets detained him and he was taken to the hospital. Per Sheriff Alex Villanueva, a breathalyzer was administered at the scene, but Gutierrez blew a 0.0.
25 cadets were injured, with Villanueva initially saying 16 suffered minor injuries, four had moderate injuries and five were critically injured. One of them was placed on a ventilator, as Villanueva said there were “life-altering” injuries for several recruits.
If the same guy plowed into a drag show he’d been under the jail right now.
Or if the guy had a Trump bumper sticker on his car.
There is no equal protection under the law. It is now politically motivated.
ht/ SNS
He would be safer in jail.
Please show respect and self-moderate comments
I was kind of hoping some of our CA contigent can weigh in on how this 48 hour thing works. Everywhere I’ve lived, the cops can hold you on something else (like vehicular assault or criminal carelessness) while they build a case for more serious charges and/or see if any of the victims die.
Probably IS safer to release him tho. Safer for HIM. County jails are staffed by county deputies. I’ve known some jailers. They certainly do have a lot of power over how, eh, “pleasant” your jail experience can be…
Is he here legally? Doubtful.
If he was white and plowed through a blm ✊🏿 protest would he be released without bail?
“If he was white and plowed through a blm ✊🏿 protest would he be released without bail?”
He would have been dragged out of the car and beaten to death.
He will run to Mexico and return under a different alias.
How about this tidbit:
“So far, no details have been released as to why they believe it was an intentional act.” You mean other than it happened in broad daylight? And passing the breathalyzer only means he wasn’t under the influence of alcohol, not Marijuana, PCP, meth, crack, heroin, etc.
tell me where Paul Pelosi’s “assailant” is? oh yes, jail.
“Law is now a technical means for the achievement of specific political aims.”
“Law is merely an ‘arcanum dominatus,’ a means for the stabilization of power.”
(Neumann, “Behemoth – The Structure and Practice of National Socialism, 1933-1944”)
We are becoming that which we abhor.
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …
Tim – FJB
NOVEMBER 18, 2022 AT 5:19 PM
“We ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶o̶m̶i̶n̶g̶ have become that which we abhor.”
Mojo56
NOVEMBER 18, 2022 AT 5:09 PM
““If he was white and plowed through a blm ✊🏿 protest would he be released without bail?”
He would have been dragged out of the car and beaten to death.”
…and the media would have said he had it coming…that ALL White people deserve it.
He’ll be a good roomdog for Darrell.
@SNS
Yeppers, and jail cameras don’t seem to work when they want to know what happened.
BTW, I went to highschool one block away from there at Cal High. In those days the Norwalk sheriff would have took this guy for a short ride. No sane person would mess with them.
zHe’ll prolly commit suicide by shooting himself in the head twice.
If you don’t like the way things are going, talk to McConnell, Romney-McDaniel and McCarthy.
I hope the Sheriff’s department turns him into a missing person.
25 Counts of attempted murder is insufficient to
hold anyone pending trial ???!!?!!!!!?