Nine children, teacher's aide struck by car outside school

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- An 81-year-old woman driving to an elementary school to pick up her granddaughter plowed into nine children and a teacher's aide outside the school Tuesday, critically injuring two of the students, sheriff's officials said.

"A car jumped the curb and hit some kids lined up outside the school waiting for their parents to pick them up," said Teresa Taylor, watch commander for the Memphis Fire Department.

The collision took place about 3:30 p.m. outside Chimneyrock Elementary School.

Two 5-year-olds -- a boy and a girl -- were in critical condition and three 9-year-old girls were in serious condition at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Catherine Donovan said.

Other children were listed in good condition or had been released from other hospitals. The 41-year-old teacher's aide was expected to be released Tuesday, a spokeswoman for Methodist Healthcare-Germantown said.

No charges were filed against the driver, but authorities were interviewing her, said Steve Shular, a spokesman with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department.

"We're trying, with a lot of compassion, to talk with her on what might have occurred," Shular said.

Blood tests for driver

The woman was on some medications and blood tests will be conducted, but Shular said authorities "don't believe that's going to be a contributing cause in this accident."

A woman who answered the phone at the school confirmed that children had been struck by a vehicle but referred questions to a school spokesman who was at the scene and could not be immediately reached for comment.