Sunnyvale suspect identified as Sac State alumnus
Suspect is facing eight counts of attempted murder
Photo courtesy of Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety
Former Sac State student, Isaiah Joel Peoples, was identified as the suspect involved in the Sunnyvale crash that left a 13-year-old girl in critical condition on Tuesday, April 23. Peoples attended Sac State from 2009 to 2012.
April 26, 2019
A Sacramento State alumnus drove into a crowd of pedestrians attempting to cross an intersection in Sunnyvale, California Tuesday, injuring seven people and leaving a 13-year-old girl in critical condition.
The suspect was identified as Isaiah Joel Peoples, who attended Sac State from 2009 to 2012.
“Peoples graduated with a BS in Business Administration (Accountancy) in 2012,” said Sac State Public Information Officer Anita Fitzhugh via email.
Peoples drove into the intersection of El Camino Real and Sunnyvale Avenue, according to Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Chief Phan Ngo. The accident occurred at approximately 6:40 p.m.
According to a YouTube video of a Thursday press conference uploaded by The Mercury News, Ngo said Peoples had just picked up food and was on his way to a Bible study group when he hit eight pedestrians. Peoples’ vehicle came to halt when it hit a tree in the nearby shopping center.
Six of the victims have been sent to local nearby hospitals and two were treated on the scene said Ngo. Peoples sustained no injuries and declined medical treatment.
The Thursday press conference identified one of the victims as a 13-year-old girl from Sunnyvale who is now in critical condition.
“Peoples was booked into a Santa Clara jail for eight counts of attempted murder,” Ngo said in a Facebook video.
An arraignment will be held at the Santa Clara Hall of Justice at 190 W. Hedding St. in San Jose at 1:30 p.m. Friday, according to Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer Captain Jim Choi. After the arraignment, Ngo and the Santa Clara County District Attorney will hold a joint press conference outside the Santa Clara Hall of Justice.
When an investigation was conducted, an inoperable and disassembled shotgun was located in the trunk of Peoples’ car, but no other weapons were identified.
“There is no information linking Peoples to known terrorist organizations,” Ngo said.
According to Ngo, Peoples is a Sunnyvale resident who was born in San Francisco. Peoples served in the army beginning in 2004 and received a dishonorable discharge in 2006. He served in the Army Reserves from 2006 to 2008.