The Orange County Independent News from Orange County California
A nightmare scenario that could have led to injury and death at Disneyland early Christmas morning was narrowly averted just outside Disneyland as the park was closing early Christmas morning shortly before 1 AM.
A suspected DUI driver was barreling towards families leaving the park at high speed after he was involved in several hit and run crashes, including one where he jumped the sidewalk and crashed into cars at a dealership on Anaheim Blvd. and fled with his tires blown out.
The car headed south on Anaheim Blvd. then west on Disney Way towards Disneyland.
The car careened through the intersection of Disney Way and Harbor Blvd at high speed with all 4 tires flat and disintegrating. The driver sped through the busy intersection with dozens of pedestrians attempting to cross the intersection after just having left Disneyland.
The loud noises generated from the out of control car speeding on blown out tires and rims gave pedestrians the few seconds warning they needed to avoid being hit as the car entered a restricted entry for busses only into Disneyland.
The driver slammed into a curb at that entrance and briefly stopped behind a bus before turning around and heading south along busy Harbor Blvd just outside Disneyland. Blocked briefly by a car and pedestrians crossing Katella Ave., the driver then proceeded on westbound on Katella with pieces of his tires and car parts flying off the car.
Police caught up to the reckless suspected DUI driver on Katella Ave. near Disneyland Drive just outside California Adventure.
Police ordered the driver out of the car at gunpoint and he slowly complied and was handcuffed. The driver was given a field sobriety test by Anaheim Police Officers and failed it. He was arrested and transported to the Anaheim Police Jail.
The suspected DUI driver told police he was in the country illegally.
