A driver in Silicon Valley intentionally plowed his car into a crowd of people because he thought at least some of them were Muslim, authorities said Friday.
In this photo taken Tuesday, provided by Don Draper, Isaiah Joel Peoples, the driver of a car that struck several pedestrians, lays on the ground after the crash in Sunnyvale, Calif.
“New evidence shows that the defendant intentionally targeted the victims based on their race and his belief that they were of the Muslim faith,” said Phan Ngo, chief of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.Eight people were injured in the crash Tuesday in the Santa Clara County suburb of Sunnyvale, including a 13-year-old girl who remains in critical condition, and three adults who suffered major injuries and are in stable condition.
The suspect, Isaiah Joel Peoples, 34, has been charged with eight counts of attempted murder, with four of the charges also alleging that they caused great bodily injury. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. “There is very appalling and disturbing evidence that at least one or two of these victims were targeted based on the defendant’s view of what their race or religion may have been,” said Jay Boyarsky, Santa Clara County chief assistant district attorney.
“When a crime is committed because of someone’s nationality or their race or their religion, it’s not that individual victim that is hurt, it’s our entire community. And our entire community stands united against hatred and bigotry,” Boyarsky said.Essential California Newsletter
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