SUV Crashes Into California Preschool, 19 Children In Hospitals

KEY POINTS

Responders found the crashed SUV in the main area of the building
An ambulance took 14 children to hospitals, while the rest were taken by their parents
The police said most of the children were taken for precautionary reasons

An SUV reportedly smashed into a California preschool, injuring 19 children and an employee Thursday afternoon.

The police said the injuries sustained were not life-threatening, and most of the children were taken to receive medical attention for precautionary reasons.

The SUV reportedly rammed through a wall of the Great Adventures Christian Preschool in Anderson at around 2.30 p.m., according to ABC News.

The members of the Anderson Police Department, Anderson Fire Department and medical personnel arrived at the scene within minutes of the call, according to a statement on Facebook by the Anderson Police Department.

See posts, photos and more on Facebook.

The officers found the SUV had charged its way into the main area of the building where the children were together.

“It was determined that at the time of the collision the building was occupied by nineteen children and two adults,” read the police department’s statement. “Officers entered the building and began assessing the injuries of the children and escorting them to safety.

The police department declared the incident a “Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)” due to the potential number of injured parties involved.

Of the 19 children, 14 of them were transported by ambulance to local hospitals with varying levels of injuries, the police said.

The five remaining children were taken to hospitals by their parents, Police Chief Jon Poletski reportedly said.

Ten of the children were taken to two Dignity Health hospitals, said the organization's spokesperson Allison Hendrickson, according to NBC News. Two other children were transported to UC Davis Medical Center and were in stable condition, Hendrickson added.

“No fatalities have been reported or are expected,” the police department's statement said.

The driver at the wheel of the SUV was a female Anderson resident. Her identity was not disclosed.

The police said the woman cooperated with investigators and was assessed by an Anderson Police Department Drug Recognition Expert. They determined the driver was not impaired at the time of the collision. However, it was not clear what led to the crash.

The woman was released after providing a statement, the police said.

“The investigation as to the cause of the collision and the moments preceding the collision is ongoing,” the police added in their statement.