SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA / A news summary : The Local Review / DEVELOPMENTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Crack Pipe Found in Car After Crash

LOS ANGELES — A pipe used for smoking crack cocaine was found in a car that plowed into a group of people standing outside a welfare office in Los Angeles on Tuesday, injuring the driver and 14 other people, authorities said.

Christina Williams, 44, hit the pedestrians about 11:30 a.m. as they were standing under a canopy in front of the county Department of Social Services office in the Rancho Dominguez section of Los Angeles, CHP Officer John Tye said.

Williams told investigators she accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and lost control of the car, Tye said.

Witnesses said the 1976 Cadillac Seville jumped the sidewalk and was going 10 mph to 15 mph when it plowed into the area where at least 40 people were sitting in chairs, awaiting a medical screening, Tye said.

One person was critically injured and the others had minor to moderate injuries, the officer added.

The driver, who suffered minor injuries, was taken to Charter Suburban Medical Center and later released to police, said Dana Randazzo, an emergency medical technician at the hospital.

She declined to take a field sobriety test and was not arrested. Tye said blood tests will be performed to determine whether she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“There was drug paraphernalia in the car.” Tye said “It appeared to be a crack pipe.”

Two men, ages 45 and 52, were taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in serious and critical condition, respectively, said CHP Inspector Mark Tolbert. Eight others were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries, he said. Four social services workers were treated at the scene and released.