18-year-old ‘ran a red light’ before reportedly mowing down three schoolchildren on one of Australia’s busiest highways
A teenage boy has been charged after a shocking accident on a busy city street in which three schoolchildren were rushed to hospital.
Emergency services were called to the scene at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday on Pacific Highway near Falcon Street in Crows Nest on Sydney’s north coast.
Police were told three boys, two aged 12 and one aged 13, had been knocked to the ground by the car as they crossed the road to a green pedestrian signal.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after the incident. Photo: 9
All three boys suffered leg and head injuries.
They were treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before the 12-year-olds were taken to Children’s Hospital in Westmead in stable condition.
The 13-year-old boy was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Police were told by witnesses that the vehicle allegedly drove off without stopping to help the boys.
A crime scene was secured on the street, bringing traffic to a halt during rush hour traffic, and the alleged driver was arrested shortly afterwards on Fox Street in Lane Cove.
He was taken to Chatswood Police Station and charged with dangerous driving resulting in grievous bodily harm, negligent driving resulting in grievous bodily harm, two counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct, operating a motor vehicle, failing to stop and assisting after a collision with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, failing to stop and assisting after a collision causing injury and driving through a red traffic light.
The teenager has been issued with a license suspension and was refused bail to appear in Manly local court on Friday.
Police seized a Honda Accord for mechanical and forensic examination.
The incident has caused a major traffic jam in the area.
Another schoolboy who witnessed the incident said there was “a little bang” followed by screeching cars.
A witness told 9 News that the incident was accompanied by “absolutely crazy” scenes as ambulances and police cars rolled into the street in response.
“There were police everywhere directing traffic, ambulances everywhere and police escorting the ambulances to the hospital,” he said.