A car driven by a child under 10 years old slammed into another vehicle, struck a woman walking her dog, and crashed through a residential fence in East Oakland's Bartlett neighborhood today, leaving the pedestrian critically injured. The crash happened around 9:30 AM at 35th and Mangels avenues, according to police.
The white Toyota Camry was heading northbound on 35th Avenue when it struck a southbound vehicle, lost control, and hit the woman as she walked her dog in a crosswalk, before plowing through a fence and into a front yard, according to the Oakland Police Department's account reported by CBS San Francisco. The woman, who is in her 30s, was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Her dog was later found unharmed near the scene.
Two children under 10 were inside the Camry at the time of the crash — one behind the wheel and another as a passenger — and both were hospitalized in stable condition, the station reported. Officers contacted the parents of both children, who are cooperating with the investigation, per the same account.
Police Seek Video as Investigation Continues
Oakland police are asking anyone with video footage or photos of the crash to email [email protected] or call the department's traffic unit at 510-777-8570. Open questions remain about how the children gained access to the vehicle and what specific findings investigators will reach after reviewing witness accounts and surveillance footage, according to the CBS San Francisco report.
Under California Vehicle Code Section 17708, parents or legal guardians can be held civilly liable for damages when a minor operates a vehicle with their express or implied permission, according to Mastagni Holstedt APC. Separately, California Penal Code Section 273a allows for criminal child endangerment charges against a parent or guardian who willfully permits a child to be placed in a situation endangering their health or safety, such as unsupervised access to a car, per Wallin & Klarich.
A Pattern of Dangerous Driving Incidents in East Oakland
Thursday's crash follows a string of severe traffic incidents involving young or underage drivers in East Oakland. In May, a 17-year-old driving over 50 mph crashed into pedestrians outside a market at International Boulevard and 85th Avenue, killing three people and injuring several others, according to The Oaklandside.
Citywide, pedestrian deaths have been trending downward but remain a persistent concern. Oakland recorded 6 pedestrian traffic fatalities through May of this year, following 7 in 2025 and 13 in 2024, according to the city's Safe Oakland Streets monitoring data. The city finalized plans last year to launch an automated Speed Safety Camera program in 2026 along high-risk corridors in an effort to curb excessive speeding and severe collisions.
Hoodline has reported on a car crashing into an East Oakland apartment and injuring a toddler, and has also covered the case of an Oakland boy dragged in a hit-and-run, part of a troubling pattern of severe child pedestrian injuries in the area. A separate case involving a fatal 38th Avenue crash saw the Alameda County District Attorney's Office back off prosecution, as Hoodline previously reported.
