Accused in 4th Street incident: ‘I ran the people over, dude’

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -Fifty-seven-year-old David Turner waived his scheduled initial appearance in Reno Justice Court on murder and attempted murder charges Friday. Meanwhile, we’re learning more about the man accused of running over three people near an East Fourth Street shelter Monday,

As we’ve previously reported, investigators believe the incident, which took the life of a 55-year-old homeless woman and seriously injured a mother and daughter distributing clothing, was an intentional act.

But why did it happen? What would cause a 57-year-old man to intentionally run down three women he didn’t know?

A partial, if ultimately unsatisfying, a clue may lie in statements Turner made to officers at the scene.

According to documents we’ve obtained, officers responding Monday night found Turner sitting in his 2006 Jeep in a motel parking lot a hundred yards from the scene of the incident.

The document includes much of the conversation which began with the officer asking Turner what was going on.

“I ran over the people, dude,” was his response, followed by “It’s my fault man. Idid what I did. I’m homeless, I don’t got nowhere to go, you know? I’m done.”

The officer put Turner in the back of his patrol car, read him his Miranda rights and asks about his intent. “...but I’m trying to understand,”

“I intended to kill them< Turner is quoted as saying. “And, and, and I don’t care the consequences. I don’t give a ****. I don’t care anymore. I don’t know what to do. I’m done. I’m done. I’m 57 years old and I’m done.”

The officer probes further. did he think he would kill them?

“You thought you were going to kill them?” the officer asks.

“There’s no thought. You know, there’s no thought. When you’re going 50 miles an hour and people are standing, come on you know that’s kill.”

Later at the police department, Turner tells officers he was homeless himself, living in his vehicle. He’d attempted to check in at the Cares Campus shelter, but they were full. No beds were available.

“I’m homeless. Don’t have no place to stay.”

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