Santa Monica officer injured when driver tries to get into fire evacuation area, police say
California fires: 34 arrested in evacuation zones
RELATED: 30 people have been arrested in the Eaton Fire area, and 4 in the Palisades area, according to LASD Sheriff Robert Luna. Additionally, there have been two 'drone incidents' that have led to arrests.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Police in Santa Monica arrested a man after they said he ran over a traffic officer's foot while trying to follow National Guard vehicles into an evacuation area.
Portions of Santa Monica have been under evacuation orders since the outbreak of the Palisades Fire last week. Just before 7 a.m. Monday, police said Walter William Larkins IV was following two National Guard vehicles on California Avenue on the wrong side of the road.
That's when a Santa Monica Police Department traffic officer walked up to Larkins' car and tried to signal him to stop. Police said Larkins didn't stop and drove through the barrier, running over the officer's foot in the process before driving off.
SUGGESTED: 40+ arrests made in Palisades Fire evacuation zones, police say
Walter William Larkins IV (Credit: Santa Monica Police Department)
Officers found Larkins several blocks away and arrested him on suspicion of felony hit-and-run.
The officer was treated at a nearby hospital.