Authorities say five children and three adults were injured when a vehicle crashed into a fence outside a Frisco day care facility Thursday.
Authorities say five children and three adults were injured when a vehicle crashed into a fence outside a Frisco day care facility Thursday.
The crash was reported at Primrose School of Frisco at about 4:50 p.m. on the 9100 block of Teel Parkway.[[448557373,R]]
Two children were transported by air ambulance to Children's Medical Center of Dallas, one of whom was in critical condition, officials said.
Three children and one adult were transported by ground ambulance to hospitals.
The conditions of the other children and the adults who were injured were not immediately known.
Police said the driver was a 17-year-old male, who remained at the scene to speak with investigators. He was not detained or arrested.
The teen's father told NBC 5 his son was taking driving lessons at a business next to the day care and confused the gas with the brake pedals. He was driving a white Toyota Camry, which collided into the day care fence.
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Soon after the crash, teachers and parents could be seen rushing to the scene to check on their children. Shancia Castillo said she teaches the class of toddlers that officials say was standing just inside the fence when the Camry ran into it.
"They were between 18 and 24 months," she said.
Welda Varela's granddaughter is a student at the school. She is also a teacher and rushed to the scene to find 2-year-old Avery safe. She says a teacher's split-second reaction may have saved lives.
"That's what I'm being told, that he hit the gas instead of the brake and went through the fence, and when the teacher tried to shield the kids, she got the brunt of it," she explained.
Frisco police are investigating.
In a statement released Thursday evening, the franchise owners of Primrose School of Frisco at Main and Teel, DeDee and Kevin Gebhardt, said:
"We are heartbroken about the accident that happened today at our school, injuring multiple children and teachers. Our Primrose community is our family and nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of the children entrusted to our care. We are incredibly proud of how our teachers and staff responded today and we are grateful for the police and paramedics for their swift action as well.
"We're standing side-by-side with the affected families and are currently here at the hospital. We are praying for the medical teams caring for these children and their families and ask that you do too."
