6 children thrown from SUV when tire blows out, Texas cops say. Driver charged

Six children are hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after an SUV crashed in Texas, and the driver is facing charges, police say.

An SUV was traveling along U.S. Interstate 35 in Texas at about 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, when one of its tires blew out on San Antonio’s northeast side, the police department said in a news release. There were nine people inside the vehicle at the time, and seven of them were children ranging from 2 to 11 years old.

The blowout caused the driver to lose control of the SUV and slam into a tree, according to police. Six children were thrown from the vehicle on impact.

“Every single person in the vehicle was transported to the hospital,” police said, adding that the children were not properly secured in the SUV with booster or safety seats.

Only one of the kids was wearing a seatbelt during the crash, police told WOAI. Some of the children suffered life-threatening injuries, per the release.

Police say the driver will be facing charges of child endangerment.

Officials did not provide an update on the conditions of anyone involved in the wreck.

It’s also unclear what might have caused the blowout, though police said the investigation is ongoing.

This story was originally published September 3, 2024 at 11:00 AM with the headline "6 children thrown from SUV when tire blows out, Texas cops say. Driver charged."