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<div id="storyTitle" style="clear: left;">Investigators believe driver intentionally hit students on sidewalk</div> <div id="storyDate">May 7th, 2009 @ 11:35am</div> </div>
KEARNS
-- Investigators say the man accused of hitting six students on a
Kearns sidewalk near 4000 West and 5600 South Wednesday afternoon did
it on purpose.
Deputies arrested Luka Wall Kang, 50, on 10 counts of felony
aggravated assault and booked him into the Salt Lake County Jail after
he was treated and released from Intermountain Medical Center Wednesday
night.
Lt. Don Hutson of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office said,
"Last night after consultation with prosecutors at the district
attorney's office, we made a determination that Mr. Kang actually,
intentionally went on the sidewalk where the children were and struck
at least six and tried to strike four more."
<div ="mediaright">
</div>
Investigators say the evidence found at the scene suggested Kang drove
for a considerable length of time and distance on the sidewalk without
ever braking or attempting to get back on the road. Lt. Hutson said,
"There wasn't any abrupt braking, and there were several witnesses that
described accelerating."
</span>
Because of that and a number of statements Kang made to investigators, they believe his actions were intentional.
"He did make some statements that lead us to believe he did go
that direction and was trying to drive on the sidewalk. As far as
specifically targeting children, we don't have statements associated
with that, but certainly not a valid explanation as to why he was
driving along the sidewalk for a block and a half," Hutson explained.
Hutson added, "He has one of the kids, as he strikes them, up
on his hood. He continues to travel southbound along the sidewalk,
never actually going back on to the roadway, stays on the sidewalk and
continues to hit kids as he travels up the sidewalk."
The end result: six teens hit, one hanging on to the hood for dear life and several others jumping out of the way.
<div ="medialeft" style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); padding: 10px; width: 180px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px;">"It was a miracle no one was more injured." -Lt. Don Hutson with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office</div>
Witness
Cody Campos said, "We heard screaming and honking. I turned around and
saw a car that had, like, three kids on the hood."
Investigators say they still don't know much about Kang other
than he moved to Kearns a few months ago, his car is registered in
Arizona, he doesn't appear to have a license and he has been having
problems in his personal life.
Hutson said, "Interviews with him suggest that he is very
distraught right now and having some difficulties in life, and I think
that is obviously a huge factor in this."
Investigators say Kang also made statements to them about being depressed but gave no reason for why he would target the teens.
Leonardo Flores was hit by Kang's car. He said Kang never even
tried to stop. Flores said, "He was accelerating the farther he went,
running people over."
Investigators say Kang continued to accelerate down the sidewalk while a 13-year-old student held onto the hood of the car.
Witnesses say Kang's car eventually hit a retention wall and flipped.
That student was transported to Primary Children's Medical Center and is expected to be OK.
Kang and two other students, who are expected to recover, were transported as well.
<div ="mediaright">
</div>
Lt.
Hutson said the natural flow of the vehicle should have taken Kang
another direction or into a fence.
But he says that was not the case because evidence indicates Kang had
to make a number of maneuvers with the vehicle to stay on the sidewalk.
Hutson said investigators are waiting on toxicology reports for
drug use. He said, "There were no obvious signs of alcohol, no odor, no
obvious display in his behavior that he was using alcohol, but we will
obviously check that."
</span>
He also said he didn't know why Kang was near the school.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=6405502
<div id="storyTitle" style="clear: left;">Investigators believe driver intentionally hit students on sidewalk</div> <div id="storyDate">May 7th, 2009 @ 11:35am</div> </div>
KEARNS
-- Investigators say the man accused of hitting six students on a
Kearns sidewalk near 4000 West and 5600 South Wednesday afternoon did
it on purpose.
Deputies arrested Luka Wall Kang, 50, on 10 counts of felony
aggravated assault and booked him into the Salt Lake County Jail after
he was treated and released from Intermountain Medical Center Wednesday
night.
Lt. Don Hutson of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office said,
"Last night after consultation with prosecutors at the district
attorney's office, we made a determination that Mr. Kang actually,
intentionally went on the sidewalk where the children were and struck
at least six and tried to strike four more."
<div ="mediaright">
</div>
Investigators say the evidence found at the scene suggested Kang drove
for a considerable length of time and distance on the sidewalk without
ever braking or attempting to get back on the road. Lt. Hutson said,
"There wasn't any abrupt braking, and there were several witnesses that
described accelerating."
</span>
Because of that and a number of statements Kang made to investigators, they believe his actions were intentional.
"He did make some statements that lead us to believe he did go
that direction and was trying to drive on the sidewalk. As far as
specifically targeting children, we don't have statements associated
with that, but certainly not a valid explanation as to why he was
driving along the sidewalk for a block and a half," Hutson explained.
Hutson added, "He has one of the kids, as he strikes them, up
on his hood. He continues to travel southbound along the sidewalk,
never actually going back on to the roadway, stays on the sidewalk and
continues to hit kids as he travels up the sidewalk."
The end result: six teens hit, one hanging on to the hood for dear life and several others jumping out of the way.
<div ="medialeft" style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); padding: 10px; width: 180px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px;">"It was a miracle no one was more injured." -Lt. Don Hutson with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office</div>
Witness
Cody Campos said, "We heard screaming and honking. I turned around and
saw a car that had, like, three kids on the hood."
Investigators say they still don't know much about Kang other
than he moved to Kearns a few months ago, his car is registered in
Arizona, he doesn't appear to have a license and he has been having
problems in his personal life.
Hutson said, "Interviews with him suggest that he is very
distraught right now and having some difficulties in life, and I think
that is obviously a huge factor in this."
Investigators say Kang also made statements to them about being depressed but gave no reason for why he would target the teens.
Leonardo Flores was hit by Kang's car. He said Kang never even
tried to stop. Flores said, "He was accelerating the farther he went,
running people over."
Investigators say Kang continued to accelerate down the sidewalk while a 13-year-old student held onto the hood of the car.
Witnesses say Kang's car eventually hit a retention wall and flipped.
That student was transported to Primary Children's Medical Center and is expected to be OK.
Kang and two other students, who are expected to recover, were transported as well.
<div ="mediaright">
</div>
Lt.
Hutson said the natural flow of the vehicle should have taken Kang
another direction or into a fence.
But he says that was not the case because evidence indicates Kang had
to make a number of maneuvers with the vehicle to stay on the sidewalk.
Hutson said investigators are waiting on toxicology reports for
drug use. He said, "There were no obvious signs of alcohol, no odor, no
obvious display in his behavior that he was using alcohol, but we will
obviously check that."
</span>
He also said he didn't know why Kang was near the school.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=6405502