Horrifying moment speeding motorcycle cop plows into crowd of revelers at parade
Ten people were injured on Saturday night in Palm Springs, California, after a police officer riding a motorbike crashed into a crowd.
Spectators had gathered for the 32nd annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade when a PSPD traffic officer performing a stunt lost control of his motorcycle.
Footage shows the officer traveling at speed down the road within feet of where bystanders were watching the procession just after 6pm.
The officer and bike plowed into the crowd on the parade route at Palm Canyon Drive and Amado Road.
Eyewitnesses said the officer lost control of his bike as he attempted a trick, severing his hand in the process.
The motorcycle continued on without him, plowing into the crowd and colliding directing into an elderly couple while also injuring many other bystanders.
Officials report ten people have been injured, although none are considered life threatening, the city explained.
Palm Springs Police Department told how officers were on motorcycles in order to control traffic along the parade route and to make sure none of the spectators were standing in the road.
This is the horrifying moment seconds before a speeding motorcycle cop plowed into the crowd
The officer lost control of the bike and careened into the crows injuring at least ten, killing one
The 32nd annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade halted after a motorcycle crash that injured at least ten people
'We did see him pop a wheelie and all of a sudden he went sideways and skid all the way over there and lost control and let go of the bike and it went straight into the crowd,' Veronica Ortiz of Pittsburg, California told The Desert Sun.
Eyewitnesses said the scene was one of complete chaos. The parade, meanwhile, was stopped for a time but eventually resumed.
The California Highway Patrol will now conduct an investigation into what happened.
On Sunday, Police Chief Andrew Mills gave an update on the accident.
'Mayor Jeffery Bernstein, City Manager Scott Stiles, Cathy and I went to see Officer Kenney Merenda in the hospital. He was alert and conversant. The Doctors at Desert Regional are amazing and I am happy to report he will likely recover mobility in his hand.
'Kenny expressed deep concern for all of those injured and wishes them a full and speedy recovery. Of the 11 others transported for care, two were kept by the hospital for further treatment,' Chief Mills said.
'I am aware of social media accounts containing video of the accident. There is also video of officers demonstrating traffic control maneuvers. All of the video available to us will be analyzed and included in the investigation conducted by the California Highway Patrol.
'Once I have a full understanding of what took place, what caused the accident, and what we could have done differently, I will report back to the community our findings. I appreciate the overwhelming support from Palm Springs,' the chief added.
According to an eyewitness account from a nurse who happened to be attending the parade with her family, a police officer lost control of his motorcycle while attempting a stunt
The parade came to a stop as the route was suddenly turned into a scene of chaos following the crash
Bystanders did all they could to assist those who had been hurt
Emergency services had been part of the parade so were able to be on scene within seconds
Those in the crowd were left standing bewildered at what had occurred directly in front of them
Ambulances raced to the scene of the crash where the freak accident had occurred
One bystander said the officer on the bike was going far too fast given how close he was to the crowd.
'I was telling my partner here that they were going dumbly fast,' Byron Ruvalcaba of Riverside said.
'There are kids running around … to my eyes they were going recklessly (fast). My guess is 25 to 35 miles per hour.'
At least six people were stretchered away from the scene including a child who had 'minor to moderate injuries'.
