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Man is arrested after driving into vaccine mandate protesters in Palmdale, authorities say

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies
A 64-year-old man was arrested Saturday after he drove his Jeep Wrangler into a crowd of people protesting vaccine mandates in Palmdale, injuring one woman, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials said.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
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A 64-year-old man was arrested Saturday after he drove his Jeep Wrangler into a crowd of people protesting vaccine mandates in Palmdale, injuring one woman, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials said.

“A witness stated a man disagreed with the protest, entered his vehicle and intentionally drove toward the protesters,” Deputy Trina Schrader said in a statement Sunday. “The suspect then drove away westbound and out of view.”

William Aslaksen was arrested about 90 minutes after the incident, which occurred about 3:25 p.m. at the intersection of 10th Street West and Rancho Vista Boulevard, officials said.

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He was booked into the Sheriff’s Department’s Palmdale station on suspicion of felony assault and was being held there Sunday in lieu of $50,000 bail, inmate records show. He is scheduled to appear Tuesday in Antelope Valley Municipal Court in Lancaster.

The injured woman, who is in her 40s, was taken to a hospital because of injuries that were not life-threatening, Schrader said. Her name was not released.

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