Two young brothers aged 12 and 13 are killed in hit and run holiday horror – as California cops hunt driver who fled scene

Authorities in a California community are searching for a hit-and-run suspect after a crash that killed two young brothers Friday.

Police in Antioch — about 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of San Francisco — responded to a reported traffic collision at an intersection around 11:30 p.m., Antioch police said in a statement.

Officers arrived at the scene of a crash involving two vehicles, including one carrying two boys, aged 12 and 13.

The boys — who have not yet been publicly identified — were taken by ambulance to area hospitals but died of their injuries, police said.

The driver of one of the vehicles, believed to be a black SUV, fled on foot.

Police in Antioch — about 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of San Francisco — responded to a reported traffic accident at an intersection around 11:30 p.m., Antioch police said in a statement

A witness reported seeing a black SUV drive by that police said crashed into a fire hydrant. The driver is believed to have fled on foot

“It appears that speed and reckless driving were factors in this incident,” the police statement said.

A witness reported seeing the SUV drive by, which then appeared to crash into a blue sedan and a fire hydrant.

He heard a crash and went to the scene, where he found a person still in the blue car. KGO-TV reports this.

The witness said he helped the man, believed to be the father of the two boys, and together they got one of the younger boys out of his car.

A neighbor told me KTVU that he had heard the crash and quickly went outside.

“Myself and other people from the neighborhood were trying to break down the car doors trying to get the young man out,” he said.

In his haste to help the boys, he saw two people running away.

'I just saw people running. “Nobody cares who's running, we're just trying to save people's lives,” he said.

In the rush to help the boys, a witness saw two people running away

“It appears that speed and reckless driving were factors in this incident,” the police statement said

The witness added that it was a horrific scene and that the boys were clearly in appalling conditions when they found them.

'There was blood all over his face. He was knocked out. I don't know if it was his brother or cousin or whoever, it was two young men. And we just pulled him out and started praying for him.”

“And they were young. All you could see was that they were young in their faces.”

The next morning the fire hydrant had been repaired and water was still flowing into a nearby gutter.

Antioch Police asked citizens with information to contact the department.