LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A distressing incident unfolded in Torrance, where a 66-year-old grandfather named Ken Teshima was violently hit by a driver in broad daylight. The harrowing scene was captured on video. Teshima released the footage hoping to help the authorities locate the suspect.
The incident occurred around noon on July 30 at an office complex parking lot in Torrance. “I went flying and I fell here,” Teshima recalled, according to KTLA. “He was out to kill me. He hit me so hard, as fast as his car could go. Fortunately, when I hit the sign here, his car hit the post and it stopped his car. But I kept going and fell over there.” “It was pretty hard,” he said of the impact. “But it could have been harder if I didn’t brace myself and turn sideways.” The video can be seen here.
The video shows the suspect driving a gray sedan at high speed, directly slamming into Teshima, causing him to be thrown onto the sidewalk. Teshima recounted the force of the impact, expressing his belief that the driver had the intention to cause serious harm, if not worse. Remarkably, despite the severity of the collision, Teshima managed to brace himself, which likely mitigated some of the injuries sustained. He suffered a cracked skull, internal bleeding in the torso, and other injuries from the incident, necessitating hospitalization in the intensive care unit.
Teshima's previous encounter with attacker
Teshima, a certified public accountant in Torrance, revealed that he had encountered the suspect six months earlier when he found him sleeping in his car on the office premises. At the time, Teshima permitted the suspect to stay but instructed him to refrain from causing any disturbance. "It’s OK for you to stay here, but don’t make trouble,” Teshima recalls telling the suspect, a large man possibly in his 40s.
However, the suspect's behavior became disruptive, prompting Teshima to request him to leave the property. The confrontation further escalated, with the suspect attempting to initiate a physical altercation. When Teshima declined to engage, the suspect eventually left the scene, leading Teshima to believe the situation had been defused. Tragically, this was not the case.
“He started pooping on the ground, making trouble,” Teshima said.
Teshima credits extensive martial arts training for quick reaction
As Teshima was walking across the parking lot, the suspect deliberately ran him over with his car, causing severe injuries. Teshima credits his extensive martial arts training for enabling him to react quickly to the impact and the car's momentum, which may have saved his life. “I thought everything was going to be OK but it wasn’t,” he said. “God’s watching over me,” he added. “He didn’t want me to die. I’ve got a reason to be here. I have to thank the Lord for that.”
While the suspect remains at large, Torrance police have filed a report for assault with a deadly weapon and hit-and-run. Teshima cooperated with the authorities and provided a picture of the suspect and his vehicle to assist in identifying and apprehending the perpetrator.
In the face of the harrowing ordeal, Teshima expressed gratitude for surviving the attack. He remains hopeful that justice will be served and the suspect brought to account for his actions.
