Car Crashes into Tutoring Center in Fountain Valley, Injuring 6

Three of the victims were believed to be students, and a tutor was reportedly pinned beneath the car

A car crashed into a Fountain Valley tutoring center Monday, injuring the driver and five others, including a tutor and three students, authorities said.

"It was like instant smash, bang, chaos," said Dave Hill, owner of the Tutoring Club.

The crash occurred about 12:30 p.m. at The Tutoring Club on Ellis Avenue near Brookhurst Street (map), authorities said. Police identified the driver as Peter Hauk, 76, of Huntington Beach.

Hauk's car, a 2011 Buick, crashed through plate glass at the front of the business, which faces out into a parking lot.

Firefighters rescued two people who were stuck under the car, including a 32-year-old man with life-threatening injuries.

"I grabbed guys and we tried to lift the car off his leg and he was just screaming, and it was horrible," Hill said.

Other victims included two 15-year-old boys, a 20-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman. One of the four suffered serious injuries.

Local

Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.

10 injured after motorcycle officer crashes into holiday parade crowd in Palm Springs

Long Beach police releases body cam footage of deadly officer-involved shooting

The driver received minor injuries, officials said.

After the rescues, the Urban Search and Rescue Team from Huntington Beach shored up the walls of the building, which received some apparently major structural damage that caused the roof to partially collapse, witnesses said.

Investigators were questioning the driver. Hill said that immediately after the crash, the driver seemed to be in shock.

"He kept saying, 'I'm sorry, it was an accident,'" Hill said.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
 


View Larger Map

More Southern California Stories:

Contact Us