- Three people are recovering in the hospital after a truck drove through the parade route.
- 72-year-old Alan Booth was arrested as the suspected drunk driver who drove into the crowd.
Off 21st and H streets, paradegoers eagerly awaited a joyous night just moments before an alleged drunk driver put three of them in the hospital.
“He’s just a great man, a hard worker, good dad, good brother, good son, all around a perfect guy and my nephew, just a good kid trying to figure out his life and it’s just not fair," said Ronald Wittine
Rocky Legault and his son Dominic were enjoying themselves and their family, including Wittine, awaiting the start of the Bakersfield Christmas Parade Thursday night. Wittine and his family expected to spend the night enjoying the parade, but instead they spent it at Kern Medical.
According to police, around 30 minutes before the parade was set to begin, a White Ford F-150 pickup backed into the crowd where wittine’s family was, injuring three including his brother and nephew.
All three victims, including a 77-year-old man, were take to Kern Medical and listed in critical but stable condition.
Wittine saying his family’s injuries were severe and will leave them with a long road to recovery.
The driver of the pickup — 72-year-old Alan Booth — was arrested at the scene on charges of felony DUI, according to Bakersfield Police.
“It seems like every holiday season that we do not get out of some senseless alcohol related tragedy," said BPD Chief Greg Terry.
The Bakersfield Christmas Parade committee released a statement responding to the incident:
First, we, the Bakersfield Christmas Parade Committee (BCPC), are encouraged to learn all three Christmas Parade spectators hospitalized after being struck by an individual’s vehicle are recovering from a tragic accident. After learning of the accident, we were in immediate contact with Chief Terry and other members of his team of Bakersfield Police Department (BPD) administrative officers. As Chief Terry has stated, immediate attention to those individuals who sustained injury was of paramount concern. Only after taking time to consider an alternate parade route, that being turning the parade south on Chester versus at “G” Street, did we consider continuing with the parade. Our collective concern at that point was it safe for longer vehicles (floats) to safely make the left turn at 20th Street and continue along the normal, easterly parade route. Once we received assurance that turn could be safely made, we once again spoke with Chief Terry and his BPD staff regarding the continuance of the parade was possible. Chief Terry and his staff advised there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to public safety which would necessitate canceling the parade, nor would canceling or continuing the parade benefit or hinder the ongoing investigation. The decision to continue the parade was made and spectators west of Chester were notified of the rerouting plan for them to decide if they wished to relocate. We then allowed time for that information to be broadcast and time for their relocation. The events of last night remain under investigation by BPD.
Some were surprised to see the parade continue, especially after several groups received rumors the parade was canceled. Some like Misti Cole of Poppi’s Pastrami, who was there serving paradegoers with her trailer when her truck was struck, ripping off the front fender.
“There were people that were hurt, these kids had just seen horrific things," she said.
Wittine saying this tragedy is one the whole community can learn from.
“You know this is holiday time, it’s family gathering time, don’t drink and drive, it’s sad that it happened that way," he said.
A fundraiser has been created to assist the family, for more information: See here.
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