Prominent East Oakland resident among victims after car plows into crowd, killing 3

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A community is mourning after three people were killed and several others injured when a vehicle drove onto a sidewalk in East Oakland late Saturday night.

The victims include James Robert Dixon Jr., known as "OG Frog," who residents described as a well-known figure in the neighborhood. The crash happened along a stretch of sidewalk where people had gathered near a liquor store.

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"The whole community is in mourning right now," a witness said.

James Baldwin, who said he knew those killed and injured, described the moment the crash unfolded.

"He hit a car, and once he hit that car, he just mauled all my family down. He just never hit the brakes," Baldwin said.

Baldwin said he narrowly avoided being struck.

In addition to the three people killed, several others were hurt and remained hospitalized following the crash.

Baldwin described a chaotic and devastating scene.

"He didn't show no remorse for the actions he did and there were 8 bodies on the ground," he said.

Witnesses said the driver, described as a juvenile, tried to run away but was stopped by bystanders.

Tributes for Dixon have spread throughout the community, where he was known for his presence and connections on the block. Dixon who was recently involved in the Frog and Frog podcast, was someone known for years on this block in Oakland.

"He was a legend. My uncle was a people's person, he loved this block right here, he fought for this block where he died on. You know he stood for this block right here. A legend," Baldwin said.

Others gathered at the scene to pay their respects, including people who did not know Dixon personally but came because of his impact on loved ones.

"She just said he was always a good person to her, they grew up together and he was always kind to her, like he never caused problems," said Destiny Artis, recounting what her mother told her about Dixon.

Debris remained scattered across the area a day after the crash, serving as a stark reminder of what happened.

"We kinda hide from the truth but it looked like an act of terror, for that many people to die in an instant from a car or anything. Just rest in peace, 85th mourn for y'all. For everybody, we hurt, everybody hurt. So many people hurt," Baldwin said.

MORE: Police searching for suspect who allegedly drove onto sidewalk in Oakland, injuring 7

The crash comes about two weeks after a separate incident in Oakland in which a driver intentionally drove onto a curb near the Fox Theater in the Uptown area, injuring seven people, including a 15-year-old girl.

Authorities said two passengers were arrested while running from that scene, and police recovered two guns. All victims in that case are recovering.