A terrifying scene unfolded in New Jersey when a 16-year-old driver allegedly lost control of a Cadillac SUV and plowed into a group of teenagers walking along a sidewalk near their high school, leaving six students injured and one trapped beneath the vehicle.
The shocking crash happened Tuesday, October 6, shortly after 2 p.m. on East Gibbsboro Road in Lindenwold, a small community in Camden County, about 15 miles southeast of Philadelphia.
Authorities say the victims, all between 14 and 16 years old, were walking near Lindenwold High School when a silver Cadillac Escalade suddenly veered off the roadway, jumped the curb and struck the group.
Surveillance footage captured the horrifying moment the large SUV barreled onto the sidewalk, narrowly missed a utility pole and crashed into a metal fence outside a nearby apartment complex.
Several students were knocked to the ground, while one became pinned underneath the vehicle.
When officers arrived around 2:11 p.m., they discovered six injured teenagers scattered around the crash scene, including one trapped beneath the SUV’s front end.
Firefighters and emergency personnel rushed to lift the heavy vehicle and free the trapped victim, who was then airlifted to Cooper University Hospital for emergency treatment.
The other five teenagers were transported to nearby hospitals. Although police have not publicly released the full extent of their injuries, officials confirmed that no fatalities had been reported and that the victims were recovering.
Witnesses described a chaotic and frightening scene as nearby workers rushed outside to help.
Dennis Woodley, an employee at a neighboring grocery store, had just finished his shift when he heard the violent impact.
Realizing that high school students were involved, he immediately ran toward the wreckage.
Woodley told FOX29 that he first spotted a girl lying on the sidewalk with her leg pinned beneath one of the SUV’s tires.
Then he heard something even more disturbing.
A faint voice was calling for help from underneath the vehicle.
Following the sound, Woodley moved around the fence and discovered another teenager trapped beneath the front bumper.
As emergency workers raced to assist the injured students, Woodley and a coworker turned their attention to the teenage driver.
According to Woodley, the 16-year-old attempted to flee the scene after the crash.
The witness claimed his coworker helped remove the driver from the SUV before Woodley physically restrained him.
“I restrained him, I put him in a full Nelson, I said you’re under citizen’s arrest,” Woodley told reporters, explaining that he refused to let the driver leave before police arrived.
Authorities have not independently confirmed that the driver attempted to escape.
Police detained both the teenage driver and an unidentified passenger at the scene while investigators began piecing together what caused the crash.
By Wednesday, October 7, Lindenwold police announced that the 16-year-old driver was facing multiple serious criminal charges.
The teenager was charged with one count of second-degree aggravated assault, six counts of third-degree aggravated assault and one count of joyriding.
He was taken to the Camden County Juvenile Detention Center, where he remained in custody following the incident.
Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect because he is a minor.
The joyriding charge raises additional questions about whether the teenager had permission to operate the Cadillac Escalade. Police have not publicly explained the circumstances surrounding his access to the vehicle.
Investigators also have not established why the SUV suddenly left the roadway or whether excessive speed, driver inexperience or other factors contributed to the crash.
The aggravated assault charges are particularly serious, but authorities have not announced that the driver deliberately targeted the students. The circumstances and his actions before the collision remain under investigation.
The crash happened during the afternoon, around the time students were leaving school, turning what should have been an ordinary walk into a nightmare for several families.
Lindenwold School District Superintendent Dr. Kristin P. O’Neil addressed the tragedy in a message to the community, expressing concern for the injured children and their loved ones.
She urged families to support one another during the difficult aftermath and reminded parents to appreciate the time they have with their children.
“Today, I hope we all hug our children a little longer,” O’Neil wrote, while encouraging residents to offer prayers and support to those affected.
The school district also announced that counseling services would be available to students who need emotional support following the traumatic incident.
Because the victims are minors, school officials said they would not disclose personal medical information or details about their conditions.
The incident has also renewed concerns about pedestrian safety near schools, where young people frequently walk alongside busy roads during afternoon dismissal.
For the injured teenagers and their families, the focus remains on recovery as investigators work to determine exactly what led to the devastating collision.
As of October 8, authorities had reported no deaths, and the investigation remained active.
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