A motorist was arrested Monday after allegedly driving a car onto the Santa Monica Pier and injuring a person before crashing into the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant, police said.
Daniel Arroyos, 22, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder following the crash, which occurred shortly before 5 a.m., said Santa Monica police Sgt. Roberto Villegas.
About 1:20 a.m., Arroyos allegedly got into a dispute with other people on the pier, and he left the scene, leaving his Toyota sedan parked in a nearby lot, Villegas said.
When Arroyos returned, he allegedly got into his car, saw the people from the earlier dispute, and drove around protective barriers and onto the pier toward them, slightly injuring one of them, Villegas said.
The car struck the restaurant, along with a rowboat that was on display and a railing, and became disabled, Villegas said.
Blade Linden told KCAL9 that he had a leg injury, but did not want to be taken to a hospital.
“My leg’s pretty busted up, and I’m doing OK,” Linden said. “Just glad to be alive.”
–City News Service