A New Jersey teen driver has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault after allegedly plowing a Cadillac Escalade into six high school students on a sidewalk near Lindenwold High School.
The 16-year-old suspect, whose name has not been released, faces one count of second-degree aggravated assault, six counts of third-degree aggravated assault, and one count of joyriding following Tuesday’s crash on E Gibbsboro Road, Lindenwold Police said. He was remanded to Camden County Juvenile Detention Center after being detained at the scene along with an unidentified passenger.
The group of victims, ages 14 to 16, was walking on the sidewalk down the street from Lindenwold High School and in front of an apartment complex when the silver SUV swerved off the road, jumped the curb, and struck them around 2:11 p.m. Surveillance video obtained by NJ.com showed the vehicle propelled across the sidewalk, nearly hitting a utility pole before crashing into a metal fence.
At least one teen was trapped underneath the front of the car and was flown to a hospital for treatment. The other five victims were transported to local hospitals in undisclosed conditions. Officials said all victims were recovering with no reported fatalities.
Grocery worker Dennis Woodley had just finished his shift at a nearby store when the crash occurred and rushed to assist the injured students.
“Soon as I clocked out, I heard the crash happen so I ran immediately to the crash. Because they said it was high school kids,” Woodley told Fox29.
“I seen the girl that was lying on the sidewalk. Her leg was pinned under the tire. After that, I heard a voice saying ‘Help,’ but it was a little faint and then I went outside of the fence and I seen a kid under the front bumper.”
Woodley claimed the teen driver attempted to flee the scene after the crash, but he and a co-worker who had pulled the suspect from the vehicle prevented his escape.
“I restrained him, I put him in a full Nelson, I said you’re under citizen’s arrest, and you’re not leaving until the police get here,” Woodley said. Police have not confirmed whether the driver tried to flee.
Lindenwold school district Superintendent Kristin P. O’Neil addressed the incident in a message to the school community, characterizing Tuesday’s events as an “accident.”
“Today, I hope we all hug our children a little longer and take a moment to share a kind thought, prayer, or expression of support for the children who are recovering and for the families, friends, and loved ones who are caring for them,” O’Neil wrote, according to NJ.com.
The crash site sits along E Gibbsboro Road in front of both an apartment complex and a grocery store, a heavily trafficked area near the high school where students regularly walk. The presence of the grocery store and apartment building meant multiple adults were nearby and able to respond quickly as the situation unfolded.
The incident drew immediate response from emergency services, with one victim requiring airlift transport due to the severity of injuries sustained while pinned beneath the Escalade. The other five teens received care at local medical facilities, though specific details about their injuries have not been disclosed.
The teen driver remains in juvenile detention as charges proceed through the legal system. The unidentified passenger who was in the vehicle with him was also detained at the scene, though authorities have not indicated whether that individual faces charges.