Witnesses Lift Car Off Children Run Over While Walking To School
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4)- Four children were run down by a car in Colorado Springs Thursday morning as a crossing guard was leading them across the street near their school.
One child, a second-grade girl was reported in critical but stable condition. She and the other three children are all related and were going to school together. The incident happened around 8 a.m.
The other children struck are in Kindergarten, 1st and 5th grades. Three of the four are siblings and the other child is a cousin.
Witnesses say a car was traveling east on Pikes Peak Avenue and turned right onto Chelton Drive when it struck the children.
Amanda Shafer saw it happen, "She looked every way, nobody was coming. She told the kids they could proceed. There were four of them."
"The guy hit on the gas and turned right onto Chelton, ran over all the children. It sent one over the hood of his car. At that point all the children were stuck under the car. Five gentleman lifted the car by hand off the children and then the paramedics arrived," said Shafer.
Those injured are students at James Monroe Elementary School. The crosswalk is located right outside the school.
Police say the driver's actions did not appear to be deliberate. However, they are checking for the possibility if drugs have played a role in what happened.
As school let out for the day, numerous parents could be seen accompanying their children on the walk home.
School district spokesperson Devra Ashby told CBS4's Rick Sallinger the guard who was with the children at the time was traumatized after witnessing the incident.
Counselors were brought in to the school to assist any students or staff who needed to talk about what happened.
Just the day before counselors were brought into district schools in Colorado Springs because two students at another school were killed in an apparent murder suicide.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.
