10 injured after car crashes into crowd of rugby fans lining street in Australia; driver arrested
Ten people were injured, including two critically, in Australia on Saturday after a car crashed into a crowd of rugby fans lining the streets to send off their team, in what officials called a "horrific" incident.
It happened about 9:30 a.m. Saturday local time in Newcastle, about 100 miles north of Sydney, as crowds of thousands of people were lining the street to see off the Newcastle Knights' rugby team, which was headed to Sydney for the grand final later Saturday, officials said.
Of the 10 people who were injured, two of them -- a 5-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man -- were taken to the hospital and remain in critical condition, New South Wales police said in an update.
The others, including another 5-year-old girl and a 2-year-old girl, were taken to the hospital and were in stable condition, according to police. The ages of the other people who were hurt ranged from 24 to 63.
The 18-year-old driver was arrested at the scene, police said. He was taken for mandatory drug and alcohol testing and later taken to a police station.
"Police have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, with initial inquiries indicating it is not believed to be terror related," police said in an update.
At a news conference near the scene of the crash, New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner David Waddell said the young driver appeared to be driving erratically before losing control of the vehicle.
Australian Minister for Police and Counterterrorism Yasmin Catley called the crash "an absolute tragedy" and a "tragedy that was preventable," pleading with motorists to drive safely.
Police officers, traffic patrols and paramedics all responded to the scene.
Police said the incident closed Newcastle Link Road in both directions and impacted the planned route of the procession.
Police said officers had been escorting the Knights' team bus, which had not yet left the stadium when the crash occurred.
In a statement, the Newcastle Knights said: "Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by the incident, including those at the scene and their families."
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
