Three children and a woman were struck by a vehicle near George Eisenhut Elementary School in Modesto on Thursday morning, sending all four to hospitals as investigators worked to piece together what happened. The crash occurred around 7:45 a.m. near the campus, according to school district officials.
Modesto police told CBS Sacramento that three children were flown to hospitals for treatment following the collision, while the woman was transported to a hospital by ambulance. As of Thursday, the conditions of the three children had not been released. It has also not been determined whether the children who were struck are students at Eisenhut Elementary, according to district officials.
School Stayed Open as Counselors Step In
Despite the severity of the crash just outside campus, Eisenhut Elementary was not placed on lockdown, the outlet reported. Counselors were made available to students and families in the aftermath, a response coordinated through the school's connection to the broader Stanislaus Union School District.
Eisenhut serves roughly 514 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The California Department of Education identifies the school. Officials have not released details about what led up to the crash, and the Modesto Police Department's Traffic Unit has taken over the investigation. Investigators are looking for possible video footage of the incident.
A City With a Troubled Traffic Safety Record
The crash lands in a city where traffic safety has long been a concern.
Those concerns have kept attention focused on school zones across the city, even as the circumstances of Thursday's crash near Eisenhut remain under investigation.
What the Law Requires Near School Zones
State law sets clear expectations for drivers near campuses like Eisenhut. California Vehicle Code Section 22352 establishes a default speed limit of 25 miles per hour when approaching or passing a school building or grounds posted with a standard warning sign during arrival, departure, or recess times, according to FindLaw. Separately, California Vehicle Code Section 21950 requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within a marked crosswalk or an unmarked intersection crosswalk, and to exercise due care by reducing speed to avoid a collision, per the Shouse Law Group.
The article does not specify a fine or driving-record point for a driver who fails to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Meanwhile, school-zone speed limits remain a matter of California law.
It remains unclear whether any citations or charges will stem from Thursday's crash. Officials have not disclosed whether speed played a role, and the Modesto Police Department's Traffic Unit has not released further details as its investigation continues.
Part of a Pattern of Local Tragedies
Thursday's crash adds to a string of traffic incidents that have rattled Stanislaus County school communities in recent years. The incident is another reminder of the roadway dangers facing local communities.
