Driver Plows Through Protesters In Yorba Linda; One Arrested

YORBA LINDA, CA — A Black Lives Matter protest in Yorba Linda turned violent after a white car drove through a crowd of protesters Saturday afternoon. The driver, a 40-year-old Long Beach woman, was being held Sunday on charges that include attempted murder.

The woman appeared to drive her car into a crowd of counter-protesters supporting President Donald Trump, according to multiple reports.

The march began around 2 p.m. along Imperial Highway, where Black Lives Matter protesters demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot by police, were met by a much larger group of Trump supporters waving American flags and pro-Trump signs.

The sheriff's department declared the demonstration an unlawful assembly at 2:40 p.m. and ordered everyone to leave the area, sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Breckner said.

Tatiana Turner, a protester believed to be associated with the so- called "Caravan of Justice," was exiting the Yorba Linda Public Library parking lot when she reportedly drove her compact car through an intersection, hitting a man and woman, according to Orange County Sheriff's Department PIO Carrie Braun.

"The man suffered two broken legs and the woman had major injuries," Breckner said. "Both were transported to a hospital for treatment of their injuries."

"Caravan for Justice" is described on social media as a car-based protest in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

Breckner initially identified the man who was injured as a Black Lives Matter demonstrator, but Braun said the department is no longer sure if that was the case, saying he might have been a counter-protester.

Turner was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, Braun said.

She was being held on $1 million bail and scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 29, according to Orange County jail records.

Jason Mancuso, 46, of Anaheim, was also arrested and jailed for refusing to leave after the unlawful assembly was declared, Braun said.

He has a scheduled court date on Oct. 26, according to jail records.

A total of 250 total protesters gathered at the afternoon protest, Breckner estimated, adding everyone eventually left and roads were reopened.

A 47-year-old Yorba Linda man at the protest, who would only give his name as Mike because he feared Antifa-leaning elements might seek to harm him, explained he's been getting together with a group of several dozen other locals every other week for patriotic rallies.

He said he personally saw three Trump supporters injured by the car that was hemmed in and trying to drive away. But he also said it was the "Make America Great Again" protesters had been harassing the woman..

"They started to pound on her car," he said, while clutching a carefully rolled up American flag. "It took damage."

Mike said he witnessed one female counter-protester get swept under the vehicle, as well as a male counter-protester who suffered an ankle injury. He said another male counter-protester suffered minor abrasions.

Video posted on social media shows a read-headed woman flying forward as the car tries to leave. She attempts to brace herself against a man in dark pants and a yellow shirt, but ends up on the ground as the white car accelerates.

Mike estimated the crowd included 1,000 pro-Trump supporters and 100- 150 Black Lives Matter demonstrators.

This is one of several instances in one week in which a driver has plowed through a crowd of protesters in Southern California.

A similar incident happened Thursday night when two separate cars attempted to drive through a crowd of people who were protesting the shooting death of Breonna Taylor in Hollywood. Footage of the hit-and-run showed a large SUV striking a pedestrian protester holding a sign, eventually speeding off as the person slid across the ground.

A car just drove through a crowd. The crowd then chased after the white sedan. This person was hurt. pic.twitter.com/0iAhWkcRnu
— Brian Rokos (@Brian_Rokos) September 26, 2020

City News Service and Patch Staffer Kat Schuster contributed to this report.