Police say a 27-year-old driver veered onto the sidewalk as the team waited to cross.
ANAHEIM, CA — Eight members of Anaheim High School’s track and cross-country team were injured Wednesday afternoon when a southbound sedan left Harbor Boulevard, jumped the curb and struck the group at North Street about 2:55 p.m., police said.
Authorities said the teenagers were waiting on the corner for a walk signal near campus when the vehicle swerved onto the sidewalk. The crash sent all eight students to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious. Police said the 27-year-old driver, an Anaheim man, was also hospitalized and is under investigation for driving under the influence. The incident unfolded during a routine team run with adult supervision and has drawn swift responses from school officials and city leaders who called it a frightening blow to a program known to train on neighborhood streets.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene in the seconds after the collision, with backpacks and water bottles scattered on the pavement and several students lying near a low brick wall that the car struck after leaving the roadway. A coach, who had been running behind the group, reached the intersection moments after the impact, according to police. “They were doing what they were supposed to do—wait for the light—and they got hit,” Anaheim police Sgt. Matt Sutter said. Officers and fire crews responded within minutes, closing the intersection while medics triaged the teenagers and stabilized the driver for transport. Parents began arriving as patrol cars formed a perimeter and investigators canvassed nearby businesses for video.
Police said the students, ages sixteen and seventeen, were part of a regular after-school workout that took them south on Harbor Boulevard toward North Street. The sedan, described by authorities as traveling south on Harbor, mounted the curb at the southwest corner and continued along the sidewalk before stopping at the brick planter. All eight teens were taken to hospitals with varying injuries; police said they were expected to survive. One coach told local reporters that one runner suffered critical injuries earlier in the afternoon; officials did not immediately provide updated conditions. The driver, whose name was not released, was detained at the scene and transported for treatment and evaluation. Officers interviewed witnesses and obtained surveillance footage that appeared to show the car veering right before the impact.
The intersection sits a few blocks from Anaheim High School and serves as a common route for team training runs. Records show that distance runners across Southern California often use city streets around campuses, typically with at least one adult accompanying the group. Wednesday’s crash occurred on a clear afternoon along a wide corridor that carries steady traffic toward downtown Anaheim. While police have not announced a cause beyond the possible DUI investigation, officials said there were no immediate signs of street racing or a second vehicle being involved. The sedan’s path and final position suggested it traveled several yards along the sidewalk after leaving the roadway, according to observations from the scene. The district said counselors would be available to students and staff.
Investigators said they are pursuing a DUI case pending toxicology results and interviews with the driver. No charges had been announced by Wednesday evening. Detectives from the Anaheim Police Department’s traffic unit collected data from the car’s onboard systems and marked skid and gouge points at the corner. Officers plan to return for daylight measurements and to re-open Harbor and North once the scene mapping is complete. School administrators coordinated with police to notify families, and the district said it would evaluate practice routes and supervision protocols before the team resumes group runs. Police said updates on the students’ conditions and the charging decision would be released after physicians and investigators complete initial reports.
As darkness fell, a few parents lingered behind police tape with jackets draped over shoulders, talking quietly near parked bicycles and a row of orange cones. Sirens faded as tow crews prepared to move the damaged sedan, its front end crumpled against the brick planter. “This is every coach’s worst fear,” said a Southern California distance coach who arrived to support the team. A passerby who declined to give her last name said she heard “a hard thud and people shouting for help” before firefighters arrived. Students from a nearby after-school program stood with staff inside a storefront as officers escorted families toward the closed intersection to reunite with teammates.
By late Wednesday, the intersection remained partially closed while investigators reviewed video and interviewed additional witnesses. Police said the next update on injuries and potential charges could come Thursday, depending on hospital assessments and the DUI inquiry. Counselors are expected on campus in the morning, and team activities will be paused until administrators set a timeline for returning to practice and competition.
Author note: Last updated December 10, 2025.