Driver jumps curb, plows into middle-schoolers

Thirteen Ralston Middle School students were sent to area hospitals with a range of injuries -- two possibly life-threatening -- Wednesday afternoon after the driver of an SUV jumped the curb in the front parking lot and slammed through a crowd into a tree. The incident came as school let out for the day and the driver was reportedly picking up a student, according to Belmont police Lt. Dan DeSmidt. The driver's identity was not released but the gold-colored Honda Pilot involved is registered to Mauro H. Yan and Lorenza Y. Yan, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. At approximately 12:30 p.m., witnesses said the SUV drove up the curved driveway of the Ralston Avenue middle school and appeared to speed up before running into the crowd and into a tree. Pieces of the twisted fender were strewn around the vehicle and a pile of children's shoes and school bags lay to the left but there were no apparent skid marks on the asphalt or other damage to the SUV. Three kids, thought to be all boys, were trapped under the front of the vehicle until one bystander pulled a jack and others lifted the vehicle, said Assistant Principal David Scharge. "It was an incredible effort by the staff," Scharge said. Scharge, who was directing students to buses, said he heard the SUV's engine rev, leading him to think it was accelerating. The driver "looked like he was just in shock," Scharge said, adding that is seemed he lost control of the vehicle. The driver was taken to Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City with anxiety. One student also went to the hospital, three went to Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, four went to San Francisco General Hospital, one to San Mateo Medical Center, four to Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford and one was airlifted to Valley Medical Center in Santa Clara. The names and ages of individual students were not released but they range in age between 11 and 13, she said. Belmont-San Carlos Fire Chief Doug Fry said injuries were varied but none were fatal. Initial reports after the incident tentatively announced two of the students at Stanford were more seriously hurt, including possible abdominal and back injuries. Nearly immediately after the accident, staff and parents went into overdrive, shepherding students away from the crash, freeing the trapped students and organizing ways to alert parents. "You just do what you need to do," Principal Maggie O'Reilly said. A county chaplain and minister from a church down the street were on hand at the scene but most watched the goings on as officials put together the pieces. Counselors will be at the school today and morning hours will be set aside to discuss the incident, O'Reilly said. The students were in the middle of state testing, which will be cancelled today and Friday, but the school schedule will otherwise be maintained, she said.