A man suspected of stabbing a Walmart employee crashed his car into a group of high school students in Southern California on a sidewalk near Westlake High School, killing one and injuring three others.
The driver, later identified as Austin Eis, 24, was arrested and is under investigation for multiple crimes, including murder and an earlier stabbing of a Walmart employee in Simi Valley. The suspect’s car overturned, and witnesses claimed that Eis intentionally drove onto the sidewalk.
According to Captain William Hutton of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Eis deliberately crashed his car onto the sidewalk, killing a 15-year-old Westlake High School student. Eis has been charged with multiple counts, including attempted robbery, resisting arrest, kidnapping, and felony use of tear gas. He is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, April 20, and it is unclear whether he has legal representation.
The deceased victim was identified as 15-year-old Wesley Welling, and his mother called it the worst nightmare any parent could go through. The other victims, two girls aged 16 and 14 and a 15-year-old boy, were injured in the incident.
The Simi Valley Police Department said that the stabbing victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and the circumstances of the incident are still under investigation. The 24-year-old suspect left Walmart before police could arrive, but witnesses were able to describe his vehicle to the police.
Eis reportedly traveled to Camarillo after the Walmart incident, where he was involved in a domestic altercation at his parents’ home, the Ventura County Sheriff said. Eis was treated for injuries before being taken into custody, and a firearm was recovered from his vehicle.
The Conejo Valley Unified School District expressed its condolences to the students’ families, friends, and the entire Warrior community. The school district superintendent, Mark McLaughlin, said all four victims were students of Westlake High School.
The case is still under investigation, and the motive for the crime is unknown.
