A motorcyclist in Southern California was arrested after authorities say he deliberately rode into a group of protesters gathered outside an Amazon warehouse, leaving two demonstrators injured.
The confrontation happened at about 10:28 a.m. Wednesday near a distribution facility in the 20,000 block of Krameria Avenue, located in an unincorporated area of Riverside County, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies were called to the scene after several people reported a disturbance, including at least one caller who said a motorcycle had plowed into the crowd and hit two individuals.
Responding deputies from the Perris Sheriff’s Station arrived and discovered three people with injuries.
All three were transported to a nearby hospital, where officials said they were listed in stable condition.
Investigators later concluded that the rider, identified as 40-year-old Jesus Salcido Perez of Perris, intentionally accelerated toward the protesters, according to the sheriff’s office.
After receiving medical treatment and being released from the hospital, Perez was booked at the Cois Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
Robert Gonzalez, a spokesperson for Teamsters Local 1932 who was present at the demonstration, said the two protesters struck by the motorcycle appeared to have sustained minor injuries.
Neither victim was an Amazon employee, Gonzalez said.
ALSO READ: GOP Lawmaker’s Wife Shares Harrowing Domestic Abuse Claims
Both were local union members supporting warehouse workers.
The protest was part of an organized walkout at Amazon’s DJT6 warehouse over demands for better pay and working conditions, according to the union.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
The Teamsters also accused Amazon of illegally retaliating against workers who sought to improve conditions on the job.
Gonzalez said several hundred people had been picketing when the walkout began, with several dozen still demonstrating when the motorcycle barreled into the crowd.
Amazon confirmed it knew about the incident outside the facility.
An Amazon spokesman told the LA Times they are “aware of an incident outside our DJT6 facility in Riverside,” saying it happened “during an unlawful Teamsters demonstration.”
Amazon separately rejected the union’s retaliation claims in a statement to the Press-Enterprise, saying the company already provides “much of what the Teamsters are requesting.”
Gonzalez said union members had made an effort to keep the demonstration within the law.
“Safety is always our utmost priority,” he said. “This was just an unfortunate situation.”
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains ongoing and that no further information was available.
