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PROVO — A brother and sister died Monday after an SUV drove onto the sidewalk and hit them, police said.
The vehicle was driving west on 700 North at 800 East at 8:06 a.m. when it crossed the eastbound lanes and hit the 10-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl on the sidewalk on their way to school, Provo Police Capt. Brian Taylor said.
"I heard a series of crashes and then I felt the car hit our house," Sabrina Pendleton told KSL-TV.
After hitting the children, the car collided with the chimney of one home, crossed two driveways while striking another vehicle and then smashed into a porch while rupturing a gas line, Provo police said. Pendleton said she tried to perform CPR on the unconscious driver but couldn't get him out of the vehicle.
As Pendleton went to get help, she discovered that two children had been injured as well.
"I ran down the street a little bit and saw the two kids laying in street and people performing CPR on them," said Pendleton. "It was a lot of intense emotions because we knew that these kids and this gentleman were probably not going to make it.
The children and the driver were all taken to hospitals in critical condition, where they died soon after.
The man was later identified by police as 59-year-old Darren Albertson of Provo. It was initially reported by police that Albertson was 55 years old.
"Because this is a traffic accident with significant loss of life, it's under very careful investigation by the Provo Police Department Accident Investigation and Reconstruction Team. And they are investigating every circumstance and potential cause of this accident," Taylor said.
"This loss of life, it's right here in Provo and we feel it, and we feel for these impacted families," he added.
The school district is aware of the tragedy and has crisis counselors available at the children's school, Wasatch Elementary, for anyone affected.
"The school is shocked. It's a hard thing to come to work or come to school and hear," Provo City School District spokesman Caleb Price said. "If you need help, come get it."
A GoFundMe* account has been set up for the family of the children.
Contributing: Ladd Egan, Ashley Fredde
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
