Walmart attack may be second felony offense by drug induced driver

The district attorney’s office has filed a 12 felony count complaint this Thursday against 33-year-old Haamid Ade Zaid. The felony charges stem from the Easter Sunday attack on Walmart shoppers at 777 Story Road, in San Jose.  The attack was brought on by what police are saying was a drug fueled attack on shoppers and their cars.

Haamid Zaid the very scary driver

Another image of the Walmart where the assaults occurred

However in light of the new charges against Zaid, it was found that another charge stemming from an early incident involving Zaid driving through the doors of a gas station in early December.  Zaid had been released on bail in what prosecutors believed was an accidental acceleration, not of someone who could have drove their vehicle into an occupied building under some kind of mental paralysis or drug induced judgment.

Zaid was said to have approached towards the doors stopped and then accelerated forward, ending in the beer display several feet from the entry way.  He then got out of his car and started swinging a metal club at Walmart shoppers who had stopped to try and help.  While others fled to the back of the store, worried about what had just taken place.

According to a press release by the San Jose Police Department, “The suspect Zaid was subdued by customers inside the store and held down until police arrived.”

The DA’s office after reviewing the video and evidence against Zaid, have now decided to charge him with four felony counts of attempted murder for trying to run down customers who he had seen in front of the store when he accelerated.

Officer Albert Morales reports, “One victim suffered a serious, but non-life threatening injury and was transported to a local area hospital where he remains. In addition, three other victims were treated for non-life threatening injuries at the scene and released.”

Rene Trujillo said, “We just saw this car driving everywhere.”  Like most shoppers at Walmart no one could have imaged someone would do something like this.  “I thought it was some kind of road rage incident,” Trujillo said.

Photos SCSD; Amy Nilson

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