Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills defended the decision to continue the city’s Festival of Lights Parade after a police motorcycle crashed into a crowd, injuring 11 spectators and the cop, The Palm Springs Post reported.

The incident occurred Saturday night near the Hyatt Palm Springs as the parade began. Mills explained that the officer, while performing crowd control, lost his balance and accelerated when his foot slipped off the motorcycle’s peg.

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Despite the crash, Mills said continuing the parade was safer than dispersing the crowd.

“If we tell everybody the parade’s over and they need to leave, now you have 100,000 people walking in different places, it becomes more chaotic,” he said.

Of the 12 people injured, including officer Ken Merenda, three remain hospitalized. Merenda suffered a wrist injury but is expected to regain mobility. Mills visited Merenda on Sunday and reported his condition was improving.

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The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident, with the Palm Springs Police Department conducting an internal review.

Mills urged the public to await the results of these investigations before drawing conclusions, noting that available video footage will be analyzed.

He also expressed regret for the accident, stating, “I feel terrible about the accident and injuries to the very people we protect,” Mills said. “I am deeply concerned and hope for a thorough recovery. As chief of police, I am responsible for this department and the men and women who serve. After we conduct our investigations I will report back to the community. Again, I am truly sorry.”

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Witnesses are encouraged to submit videos and photos to aid the investigation.

Read more at The Palm Springs Post.