Skip to main content

Man accused of recklessly driving U-Haul into Iran protest in Los Angeles, police say

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man accused of steering a U-Haul truck toward a Los Angeles demonstration over the weekend in support of Iran’s protests was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving but was not formally charged and was subsequently released Monday, authorities said.

The Los Angeles Police Department said in a press release that officers monitoring the protest Sunday stopped the box truck and directed the driver to turn around as he was approaching a large crowd. Video posted on social media shows the truck speeding down a road where protesters were gathered on the sidewalk, as some shout in surprise.

After police stopped the truck, protesters descended on it and tore off a banner on it that read “No Shah. No Regime. USA: Don’t Repeat 1953. No Mullah.” The crowd attacked the driver who then drove toward a group of officers as demonstrators jumped out of the way, the department said. Officers then formed a line between the crowd and the driver before taking him into custody.

Police initially said one person was hit by the truck, but on Monday the department said no one was struck. Two people declined treatment after paramedics evaluated them at the scene, the fire department said.

The sign on the box truck was an apparent reference to a U.S.-backed coup in that year that toppled then-Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, who had nationalized the country’s oil industry. The coup cemented the shah’s power and lit the fuse for the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which saw Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini usher in the theocracy that still governs the country.

From exile in the United States, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah who fled Iran just before the Islamic Revolution, has called on Iranians to join the demonstrations. Some Iranians have chanted pro-shah slogans, which were once punishable by death, highlighting the anger fueling demonstrations that began over Iran’s sanctions-crippled economy.

The protesters gathered Sunday afternoon in Westwood, a Los Angeles neighborhood that’s home to the largest Iranian community outside the country. Some of the demonstrators were waving Iran’s lion and sun flag, an emblem of its former ruler, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Some of the Iranian diaspora in the United States support the end of the Iranian government’s rule but oppose a return of the monarchy.

Videos shared on social media show demonstrators scrambling out of the truck’s way while a few chase after it. The vehicle stopped several blocks away, its windshield, mirrors and a window shattered. ABC7 news helicopter footage showed police officers keeping the crowd at bay while demonstrators swarmed the truck, throwing punches at the driver and thrusting flagpoles through the driver’s side window.

The city attorney’s office did not immediately respond to emails and voicemails asking about possible charges against the 48-year-old driver. Police said he was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving. He hadn’t yet been officially charged and was released on Monday.

Investigators searched the truck, “with nothing significant being found,” the police statement said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with military action over its crackdown on protesters in nationwide demonstrations that activists said Monday had left nearly 600 dead across the country.

_____

Associated Press journalists Julie Watson in San Diego and Michael Catalini in Trenton, N.J., contributed to this report.

McConnell says after weeks of speculation that hospitalization was due to a fall

By WTOP Staff
(CNN) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on Sunday announced, after weeks of speculation, that he had a fall last month that landed him in the hospital.“My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I’ve also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia,” he said in a statement.McConnell also provided a photo showing him smiling next to his wife, Elaine Chao. He appears to have a copy of Sunday’s Washington Post sports section on his lap.McConnell said he’s moved from a hospital to a rehabilitation center to continue regaining his strength. His doctors have run through “every test they can think of” to try to determine what caused the incident.The former Senate majority leader said he “won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet” but he’s “been working closely” with legislative staff in the meantime.The statement comes after weeks of questions over McConnell’s health, as aides for the 84-year-old were fiercely protective about releasing information on his condition. The lack of information sparked speculation and rumors online that his health had significantly deteriorated.McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, has faced a series of health issues in recent years, including multiple falls. In 2023, he froze midsentence during a news conference.Along with his own statement, McConnell included a note from the attending physician of Congress, who described the injuries after the fall at his Washington, DC, home as “minor.”“A comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team determined that he had no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage. Early in his hospitalization, he developed pneumonia, which responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment,” the physician said, adding that the senator has “focused on physical therapy and strategies to reduce his risk of future falls.”Sunday’s statement finally provides an answer to the circumstances of McConnell’s hospitalization on June 14, which has been shrouded in mystery.In his statement, McConnell indirectly addressed why it took so long to share what sent him to the hospital.“You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older. Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct — I can’t help it,” he said, addressing his “fellow Kentuckians.”McConnell said he has work to do before retiring at the end of his term.“You’re right to expect your representatives to work hard for you. And part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do,” he said.When the incident occurred, his spokesperson said only that McConnell was “admitted to the hospital” and was “receiving excellent care.”Video obtained exclusively by CNN last week showed emergency responders taking McConnell to an ambulance on a stretcher after being called to his home.Weeks into McConnell’s absence, an EMS recording published by an independent journalist indicated emergency responders were called to his home for an “unconscious” person for a “cardiac arrest,” and a paramedic is heard saying, “CPR in progress.”After the audio was published, McConnell’s spokesman released another statement saying the Kentucky Republican remained hospitalized as “he continues his recovery” without providing specifics.Some high-profile Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, issued statements last week saying they recently spoke with McConnell. CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings told CNN’s Kasie Hunt on “The Arena” that he talked with McConnell on the phone Tuesday and that his “voice sounded strong.”“I’ve had more than my share of experience with physical vulnerabilities,” McConnell said in his statement Sunday.In March 2023, he suffered a concussion and broken ribs after a fall. Months later, he froze midsentence during a news conference. CNN later reported he had suffered two other falls earlier that year.The attending physician noted that “McConnell has experienced several falls throughout the year that have been attributed to his post-polio condition.”Adults who had polio during childhood can develop post-polio syndrome even decades later. Symptoms include gradual weakening of muscles, fatigue, and muscle and joint paint. There is no specific treatment for post-polio syndrome, but patients may receive physical, occupational and speech therapy, medications for certain symptoms or use mobility aids such as walkers and braces.It’s not clear how common post-polio syndrome is, but some studies estimate 25% to 40% of polio survivors experience it, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.McConnell’s statement came the same day it was announced that his colleague Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, died following a sudden illness. He was 71.This story has been updated with additional information.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
Read Next Story

Related News

McConnell says after weeks of speculation that hospitalization was due to a fall

Obama Center opens in Chicago with a call to defend democracy and a celebrity crowd

The top photos of the day by AP photojournalists