A 13-year-old Indian-American girl mowed down by an Iraq war veteran in a suspected hate crime has been pictured for the first time, fighting for her life in a California hospital.
On April 23, Dhriti Narayan and several members of her family were crossing the road in Sunnyvale when they were struck down by motorist Isaiah Peoples, 34, a former soldier said to be suffering from PTSD.
Peoples intentionally targeted Dhriti, her father Rajesh Narayan, her nine-year-old brother Prakhar and five other victims because he believed they were Muslim, police say.
According to a GoFundMe set up to help the family cover her medical costs, the seventh grader has suffered a series of life threatening injuries, including traumas to her brain.
Dhriti, described by friends as a sweet and generous girl, has been in a coma ever since the horrifying incident and remains in a critical condition.
Dhriti Narayan and several members of her family were crossing the road in Sunnyvale last month, when they were struck down by motorist Isaiah Peoples. The seventh grader has remained in a coma ever since
Isaiah Peoples is a former Army sharpshooter who was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and 2006. FBI confirmed they're investigating the incident as a hate crime
Her father and brother were treated in the hospital for minor injuries but have since been released.
The other injured victims: Marina Reimler, 32; Soeren Reimler, 33; Ping Lu, 51; Eric Nava, 24; and Miguel Balbuena Nava, 15, were treated for a variety of injuries including broken limbs and all have since been discharged.
Peoples was unharmed in the incident. He now faces eight counts of attempted murder and is being detained at Santa Clara County Jail with no bail set.
Santa Clara County District Attorney spokesman Sean Webby has confirmed that the FBI is investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Peoples is a former Army sharpshooter who was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and 2006. During the two tours he worked to help residents of the community rebuild their homes, his attorney Chuck Smith told the India-West.
He 'showed no remorse' after his car plowed at high speed into a group of people in a crosswalk on Tuesday evening in the Silicon Valley suburb of Sunnyvale before hitting a tree, Police Chief Phan Ngo said.
Peoples' car collided with a tree shortly after mowing the group of eight pedestrians. The suspect was unharmed in the incident
Peoples lays on the ground after the crash. Don Draper who pulled him from the vehicle said Peoples didn't appear drunk and was mumbling 'Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus,' over and over
He 'showed no remorse' after his car plowed at high speed into a group of people in a crosswalk on Tuesday evening in the Silicon Valley suburb of Sunnyvale before hitting a tree, Police Chief Phan Ngo said
A witness said he watched in horror as the black 2012 Toyota Corolla sped through a crosswalk between El Camino Real and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road at 6.40pm on Tuesday and bodies were launched into the air.
'I saw this woman fly through the air right in front of me. She flipped upside down and then fell right in front of my car,' Don Draper said.
Peoples is said to have a history of post-traumatic stress disorder. He's now charged with the attempted murder of eight people
He marched over to Peoples' car, which had swerved onto a sidewalk and crashed into a tree.
He said Peoples did not appear drunk but looked dazed and was mumbling over and over, 'Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.'
The police chief said Peoples had picked up food and was on his way to deliver it to his Bible study group.
'When we took him into custody, he did not behave in any manner that would be considered bizarre,' Ngo said. 'He has not shown any remorse.'
In an interview with ABC News, his mother, Leevell Peoples, recounted how in 2015, Isaiah was walking barefoot in Sacramento, thinking he was still in Iraq, when he picked up a rock and through it through a window.
During his stay in a hospital, she said Isaiah asked an officer guarding him how many people were killed today and said that he heard gunshots.
After the episode, Leevell said her son went back on his medication.
'Two weeks ago we were on the phone and I said, "Are you still taking your medication?" And he said, "Yes." And I said, "Yeah, that's good." I said, "You have to take that the rest of your life now." He said, "I know,"' she said.
Eight people were injured, including a nine-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl. Pictured: police come to the aid of one of the victims of the crash
Peoples is an Afghanistan war veteran and military contractor who suffers from PTSD
In the days preceding the crash, the mother said her veteran son was having trouble at work. She also said that talk of his job performance would trigger his PTSD.
She said she last spoke to Isaiah just hours before he drove into the crowd and recalled that he did not sound upset.
Leevell argued that her son requires psychiatric treatment and does not belong in jail.
'I know with 100 percent certainty that my son did not do that on purpose. No way ever,' she said.
Her son graduated from Sacramento State University after returning from Iraq in 2007 and was working as an auditor for the Defense Department in nearby Mountain View, she said.
He's been employed there since August 20, 2017, according to a local newspaper.
'He basically probably has no friends but the people he works with,' she said. 'He's an Army vet. He's a good kid, never been arrested. I promise you: It was not deliberate. If anything, it was that Army.'
She said the Army forced her son to retire because of PTSD. Pentagon spokeswoman Lt. Col Carla His brother, Joshua Peoples, painted a similar portrait of his sibling as a 'really good kid' struggling with PTSD.
Peoples' mother Leevell Peoples defended her son as a 'model citizen' on Wednesday, saying the only situation in which he'd launch an attack is due to a bout with PTSD
The black 2012 Toyota Corolla rammed into a group of people waiting to cross at the busy intersection between El Camino Real and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road
Peoples graduated from Sacramento State University after returning from Iraq in 2007 and was working as an auditor for the Defense Department in nearby Mountain View
'He’s always just trying to do good for himself,' said Joshua, who speculated that his service overseas 'messed up his mental health.'
Peoples served as a civil affairs specialist in the Army Reserve from March 2004 to July 2009 and attained the rank of sergeant, and he was deployed to Iraq from June 2005 to May 2006, according to another Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Emanuel Ortiz.
Peoples was honorably discharged from the Army, and police were investigating the PTSD report, Ngo said.
His brother, Joshua Peoples, painted a similar portrait of his sibling as a 'really good kid' struggling with PTSD.
'He’s always just trying to do good for himself,' said Joshua, who speculated that his service overseas 'messed up his mental health.'
Peoples served as a civil affairs specialist in the Army Reserve from March 2004 to July 2009 and attained the rank of sergeant, and he was deployed to Iraq from June 2005 to May 2006, according to another Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Emanuel Ortiz.
Peoples was honorably discharged from the Army, and police were investigating the PTSD report, Ngo said.
The car deliberately drove onto a sidewalk and into a group of pedestrians, injuring eight people including a 13-year-old girl, before smashing into a tree
Peoples had no criminal record and owned one weapon, a disassembled and inoperable shotgun that was in the trunk of his vehicle, according to the police chief.
Peoples' former housemate Chuck Herrera described him as quiet - someone who had to be coaxed into going out for drinks or dinner. He said Peoples was kind to Herrera's toddler son.
He recalls Peoples 'always had a lot of pills' and a cough.
'The guy I met was not someone who you think will hurt someone,' he said. 'My guess is something happened.'
The GoFundMe page set up by friends of the Narayan family has raised a staggering $577,000 in just four days.
‘Dhriti is a sweet little girl who is kind to everyone and always stole our hearts with her generosity,’ a family friend wrote.
‘While our hearts and prayer go to Dhriti for her speedy recovery but a huge medical bill and potential rehab costs are expected for her recovery.
‘We, friends of Dhriti's family, who were touched by her and her family's caring and helpful nature, are actively working with family members and other friends along with appropriate organizations and organizing this fund raising campaign to support the family at this difficult time.’
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