Scene of California crash into police recruits.Photo: Jae C. Hong/AP Photo

The lawyer of a man who drove into several police cadets is alleging her client fell asleep at the wheel.

Nicholas Gutierrez wasarrested “and charged with attempted murderon a peace officer(s)” with other charges pending, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed earlier this month.

His lawyer, Alexandra Kazarian, shared more details about what led to what she described as a “tragic accident,” according to ABC 7 in Los Angeles.

Kazarian told the outlet that Gutierrez, an electrical engineer, did not fall asleep any later than usual the evening before the crash. The morning of the incident, he woke up at 5 a.m. as he typically does, she said, and was driving to work when he ran into and injured 25 police cadets. The ones who were injured have since been released from the hospital.

“He’s a good kid that fell asleep on his way to work early in the morning,” the attorney told ABC 7.

She added that her client “harbors absolutely no animosity toward law enforcement,” pointing out to the news station that he comes from a family of officers. His father worked as a corrections officer before retiring. Gutierrez also has relatives who work for the Los Angeles Police Department, the local sheriff’s department and California Highway Patrol, according to the outlet.

PEOPLE reached out to Kazarian but didn’t immediately hear back.

Out of roughly 75 recruits who were on a run, 25 suffered injuries after the suspectdrove his car into them around 6:26 a.m.on Nov. 16.

While it was dark outside during the time of the run, thesheriff’s office had two patrol carsescorting the runners, and road guards in reflective vests also ran outside the recruits, officials said, per ABC News.

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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the next day that Gutierrez wasarrested “and charged with attempted murderon a peace officer(s)” with other charges pending. He was released him from custody later that day.

“It looked like an airplane wreck; [there were]so many bodies scattered everywhere,” L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva described of the “traumatic” scene during a previous press conference.

He also noted in the press conference that the driver blew 0.0 on a breathalyzer test, and the cause of the crash is unknown.

RELATED VIDEO: Driver Who Crashed into 25 Police Cadets Is Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder, Then Released

Of Gutierrez’s release, Deputy Deanna Mares told CNN of officials, “It’s not like they arrested the wrong suspect. They just want tomake sure the investigation is going to be complete.”

Gutierrez was reportedly alone at the time of the crash, per CNN, with the outlet citing the sheriff’s department.

It’s unclear whether the charges against Gutierrez were dropped when he was released.

The L.A. County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for clarification.

source: people.com