1 dead, 19 injured as car hits crowd after a 'Unite the Right' rally in Charlottesville; driver in custody

CHARLOTTESVILLE — A 32-year-old woman died and at least 19 people were injured Saturday when a car crashed into a crowd of peaceful protesters leaving a "Unite the Right" rally that officials had declared an "unlawful assembly." State officials said the driver was in custody.

The planned rally had already been shut down following bottle-throwing clashes between alt-right demonstrators, counter-protesters, white nationalists, neo-Nazis and supporters of Black Lives Matter.

Al Thomas, Charlottesville police chief, said 35 people were injured in clashes between opposing groups and in the car crash. Their injuries ranged from life-threatening to minor, he said. The driver of the car will be charged with criminal homicide, Thomas said. Albermarle County Regional Jail officials identified the suspect as 20-year-old James Alex Fields of Ohio.

Police officials said Fields would be charged with one count of second degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit and run. In addition, the FBI announced Saturday night it would open a civil rights investigation into the circumstances of the death.

source https://www.usatoday.com