Occupants in blue Jeep that struck 2 women taunted Visalia protesters, witnesses say

The driver of the blue Jeep that hit two women during Saturday’s protest in Visalia immediately drove to the police station to report the incident, according to Police Chief Jason Salazar.

But witnesses of the incident said that the occupants in the 2015 Jeep Wrangler had taunted protesters repeatedly prior to the collision, often yelling and cursing and mocking them while driving by.

The driver blared the Jeep’s horn, according to witnesses, and drove back and forth as the occupants waved a Donald Trump “Keep America Great” flag and an American flag attached to the vehicle.

And after the Jeep struck the women, witnesses said, the car’s front-seat passenger laughed and flipped them off before the Jeep sped off.

“You know they were trying to piss people off,” said Monika Arreola, a 25-year-old Porterville resident who was among the hundreds of protesters who marched up and down Mooney Boulevard in Visalia to voice their outrage over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

“There were others (anti-protesters) who drove by and flicked us off,” Arreola added. “OK. I get it. You don’t agree. You kind of expect it. But it’s usually a one-time thing. The people in the blue Jeep, they put in some time to get protesters’ attention.

“They passed by a few times, doing laps. They had their Trump flag. They wanted to antagonize them.”

No arrests made

In a video statement released Sunday afternoon, Salazar said Visalia police have not made any arrests.

Visalia police did not release identities of anyone involved.

Salazar added that water bottles were thrown at the occupants of the Jeep from the direction of protesters while in traffic based on their investigation, which included review of video of the incident shared on social media.

The chief noted that some protesters had started to leave the sidewalks and enter the roadway while yelling at the Jeep occupants.

“At the time this occurred, there were individuals from the protest who were in the roadway directly in front of the vehicle to prevent its movement,” Salazar said. “As bottles of water were thrown, traffic began to move.

“And the driver of the vehicle accelerated to drive off, striking two of the protesters who were standing in front of that vehicle.”

Police said the two women suffered minor injuries.

In an interview with The Bee on Sunday, 17-year-old Karina Ramirez said the Jeep hit her right leg and stomach.

She said she plans to get checked out by a doctor.

“After it first happened, I thought I was fine,” Ramirez said. “But I think that was my adrenaline going crazy.

“My leg is bruised and the pain hurts so much right now.”

Salazar said the investigation remains ongoing and the case has been submitted to the Tulare County District Attorney’s office for review of potential criminal charges.

Driver and victims each called 911

The police chief added that both the driver and victims of the collision all called 911 immediately after the incident.

“I was just shocked,” said Ramirez, who graduated from Exeter High last week. “I was like ‘Wow this just happened?’ I see it on the TV. But now it happened in Visalia and it happened to me.

“This was supposed to be a peaceful protest. They hit me with their car. Then, they flip me off?”

Condition of other woman hit by Jeep

When asked why she was on the roadway, Ramirez said she was crossing the street while the traffic was at a standstill to join the rest of the protesters who were on the opposite sidewalk.

But then, she got caught up in the middle of the road when cars started to move.

The other woman who was hit by the Jeep (her name was not immediately known) had been standing in front of the vehicle with her arms raised in the air while saying something to the occupants, based on video and witness accounts.

That woman was struck by the Jeep’s front hood and fell to the ground. Her shoes were knocked off, based on video and what witnesses said.

Her condition as of Sunday was not immediately known. Witnesses who spoke to her said she was more mentally shaken than physically hurt.

“I think we were all surprised,” Arreola said. “They had an opportunity to drive around them but they didn’t. They hit the gas, hit the girls, then sped off.

“I don’t know how you hit someone with your car and you leave. Even if you panic and hit the gas, if it wasn’t your intention to hit someone, don’t you stop and ask if that person needed medical attention?”

Added Ramirez: “Getting hit by a car and getting a water bottle thrown at you is not the same. Somebody standing in front of your car isn’t the same as a car hitting you.

“It’s not right.”