WILTON MANORS, Fla. (AP) — Two children were killed and another four children were hospitalized with injuries when a car plowed into them and fled the scene in South Florida.
The Broward County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that it was investigating what happened Monday afternoon outside of an apartment building in Wilton Manors, Florida, along with the Wilton Manors Police Department and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue.
In a press release on Tuesday, the sheriff's office identified the children and said the vehicle involved in the crash was located, but the driver is still wanted.
Andrea Fleming, 6, and Kylie Jones, 5, were killed in the crash. Draya Fleming, 9, Johnathan Carter, 10, Laziyah Stokes, 9, and Audre Fleming, 2, were injured.
Authorities said a 2009 Honda Accord Sedan, driven by a still unknown man, was traveling southbound on Northwest Ninth Avenue (Powerline Road) approaching the 2500 block at the same time that a Broward County Transit bus stopped to drop off a passenger.
According to the sheriff's office, the bus pulled out to continue southbound and began to merge into the right thru lane as the Honda approached from behind. Authorities said the Honda drive failed to let the bus merge and passed it, almost hitting the front driver's side as it cut in front of the bus.
The sheriff's office said the Honda then veered right, off the roadway and onto a sidewalk and driveway at 2417 N.W. Ninth Ave. where it hit the young children.
After the crash, the sheriff's office said the Honda driver sped away.
Steven Gollan, a battalion chief with the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department, said at a news conference Monday night that the hospitalized children were "severely injured."
Gollan said the accident was "horrific."
"This event is a horrific event any time of the year, let alone right after the holidays," Gollan said. "At this time, we're helping the families as well as our first responders by having grief counselors on-site to guide them through."
Anyone with information or video of the hit-and-run is asked to contact the Wilton Manors Police Department.
