Oakland child driver strikes woman in crosswalk, leaves her critical

A 7‑year‑old boy drove a white sedan into a marked crosswalk at 35th and Mangels avenues in East Oakland around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, striking a woman in her 30s who was walking her dog. The woman was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. The car then collided with a retaining wall, and the child’s 4‑year‑old brother, who was a passenger, was also injured.

Both children were taken to a local hospital and are in stable condition. Police say the children accessed the vehicle while their parents were sleeping; the parents are cooperating with investigators. The Oakland Police Department continues to investigate how the children obtained the keys and why they were driving.