Venice Beach Boardwalk Hit-And-Run: Suspect Nathan Louis Campbell Has Criminal Record

Nathan Louis Campbell, the man who was arrested for driving a car over pedestrians and killing one person at the crowded Venice Beach boardwalk on Saturday, has had run-ins with the law in the past and was booked for petty crimes on more than one occasion, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Law enforcement officers are currently looking into Campbell’s past in an attempt to figure out what triggered the 38-year-old to go on a rampage, which killed an Italian woman who was on her honeymoon and injured 16 others.

Sources told the LA Times that Campbell has a history of alcohol and drug abuse, and has a record of petty crimes committed in Colorado and Florida, which include a reckless driving arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol in Panama City Beach, Fla., in 2008. The same year, he was charged with trespassing and disturbing the peace, and for shoplifting from a Virgin Megastore, both in Denver. In 2009, Campbell was once again arrested for trespassing and for shoplifting.

Nothing much is known about Campbell’s movements in recent years, but officials are looking into the months immediately before Saturday’s incident to find out what triggered the rampage.

In the aftermath of the hit-and-run incident, additional safety measures would be placed near the Venice Beach boardwalk to prevent such an accident from happening again, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters on Monday, according to Daily News.

“We're committed to making sure something like this can't happen again, or can't happen again as easily ever again," Garcetti said, adding that Los Angeles County, which controls parking lots near the boardwalk, will be asked to share the costs to increase security at the tourist hotspot, the Daily News report said.

City Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents the Venice neighborhood, told the Daily News that he would call for a City Council motion on Tuesday for increased security in the area. These measures include installing better signage and additional pylons to prevent motorists from driving up on the walkway.