Freak accident or calculated plot? That's what many are wondering after a car drove directly into a crowded boardwalk at popular California tourist hang out, Venice Beach.

"It was a really nice day. There were tons of people out. In fact, we were talking about how packed it was, because we were having a hard time getting through all the people," said beachgoer Louisa Hodge.

Around 6 p.m. on Saturday evening, as crowds of people walked the boardwalk in Venice Beach, California, a car going full speed plowed through the boardwalk killing one person and severely injuring 11 others. The driver initially fled the scene, but the Los Angeles Police Dept. said that a "person of interest" turned himself in late Saturday night.

"The vehicle appeared to be moving purposefully down the boardwalk, according to witnesses," said Los Angeles Fire Dept. spokesman Brian Humphrey.

According to CNN, police recovered the car responsible for the incident - a dark blue Dodge Charger sedan - after it was abandoned by the driver. Surveillance footage shows a man watching the picturesque Venice coastline before allegedly getting into the car and hitting people in the crowd, sending some flying. At least three vendors sitting at sales booths were hit in the incident. Chaos erupted as people tried to get out of the path of the speeding vehicle.

"It was horrible. I mean it was like something out of a movie, something you would never expect to see," witness Katherine Blackburn said. "There were people flying, laying on the ground, tents flying everywhere. If he wanted to kill people, he came on a perfect time, 5 p.m. on a Saturday in the summer in Venice Beach."

Now, with one victim dead, one in critical condition and three in serious condition, the driver is the subject of a full on homicide investigation. Police shut down five blocks of the famous boardwalk as they comb the area for evidence.