Six teenagers were injured Tuesday afternoon in Lindenwold after an SUV left the roadway and struck them as they were walking along a sidewalk, according to police.
The crash happened around 2:11 p.m. on East Gibbsboro Road near Emerson Avenue, not far from Lindenwold High School. Police responding to the scene found one teenager trapped underneath the SUV and five other young pedestrians who had also been hit.
Fire and rescue crews lifted the vehicle to free the trapped teen. The victim was then flown by medical helicopter to Cooper University Hospital and was reported to be in critical condition.
The other five teenagers, who ranged in age from 14 to 16 along with the critically injured victim, were taken to area hospitals for treatment. Officials said the other five did not suffer major injuries. No fatalities had been reported.
Police investigate how SUV reached sidewalk
The circumstances that caused the SUV to leave the roadway remain under investigation. Police said two people who were inside the vehicle were detained at the scene while officers began investigating the crash.
As of Tuesday evening, no criminal charges had been filed.
Investigators are working to determine what happened immediately before the SUV went onto the sidewalk and struck the teenagers. Police have not publicly identified the driver or released a specific cause for the crash.
The section of East Gibbsboro Road between South Berlin Road and Emerson Avenue was closed while emergency crews worked at the scene and investigators examined the area.
School district offers counseling to students
The crash happened close to Lindenwold High School, and the incident prompted a response from the local school district.
Lindenwold Superintendent Kristin O’Neil said the district would make counseling available to students who need support. She said the district could not provide information about individual students or their medical conditions.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our Lindenwold School District families,” O’Neil said.
The Lindenwold Fire Department also asked the public to stay away from the crash area so emergency personnel could safely reach the scene.
Video from the scene showed the SUV on the sidewalk near a damaged fence after the collision. The vehicle sustained significant damage in the crash.
A nearby worker, Dennis Woodley, told CBS Philadelphia that he and co-workers rushed from a supermarket across the street to help after seeing the crash. Woodley said the driver was restrained by people at the scene until police arrived. His account of what happened immediately afterward has not been independently established by police.
The investigation remains active, and authorities have not yet announced whether charges will be filed.
