A small girl was killed, and two other people were seriously hurt when an SUV careened onto the sidewalk in front of an apartment building Monday morning, according to authorities.
The crash happened just before 11:30 a.m. near Maine Avenue and Fourth Street, about a block from Cesar E. Chavez Park in Long Beach. Police said preliminary information indicates the driver was trying to reverse when the SUV rolled over the curb and hit people sitting on the stairs in front of an apartment building.
A neighbor said he heard squealing tires that indicated a quick acceleration before the crash. Another neighbor, Alisa Hill, said she was nearby when she heard a loud bang, then “a scream that you know something bad happened.”
Police quickly arrived and started giving first aid to the toddler. They decided to rush her to the hospital themselves instead of waiting for medics. She died not long after she arrived, according to authorities. A neighbor estimated she was 2 to 3 years old.
Paramedics took the other two victims — a woman and an older child — to the hospital to treat traumatic injuries, according to the Long Beach Fire Department. They were in stable condition.
Police are investigating what caused the crash.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated.