Car hits children at Memphis elementary school

The children were standing on a school sidewalk when the sedan struck them.

Story Tools

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (CNN) -- An elderly woman driving a car struck a group of children standing outside an elementary school in Memphis, critically injuring at least one of them, authorities said.

Three other students were also hurt, but the severity of their injuries was not yet known.

The incident occurred Tuesday outside Chimneyrock Elementary School at about 3:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. EST) as children were leaving school, officials said.

Some children were standing on a sidewalk beneath an overhang, waiting to be picked up, when the woman's maroon sedan struck them, said Steve Shular, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. The car then came to rest next to the school building.

Shular said the woman had apparently lost control of the vehicle.

"I don't know whether she was impaired; I don't know whether there was a problem with the vehicle that might have caused this," Shular said. An investigation into the incident is underway.

At least one child was airlifted to a hospital, said Officer LaTanya Able of the Memphis Police Department.

Bookbags and belongings were scattered over the sidewalk, and at least one pillar supporting the overhang was knocked over.

The school serves kindergarten through fourth grade, and is located in East Memphis.

Father guilty of killing 9 of his children • Helicopter crashes near U.N. • Arrest in Aruba missing girl case • FDA panel OKs drug aimed at blacks

CNN/Money: Security alert issued for 40 million credit cards • Bin Laden deputy sends message • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues • Iran poll to go to run-off