INDIAN HARBOUR BEACH, Fla. -- Two young boys were injured, one critically, after they spotted a Santa riding in a truck and darted out onto a busy roadway, where they were hit Sunday night.
- Boys hit by vehicle in Indian Harbour Beach
- Children were crossing the street when hit
- Authorities said boys spotted Santa, darted into traffic
The crash happend just before 8 p.m. at South Patrick Drive and Parkside Place.
The brothers, 8-year-old Gregory and 11-year-old Verdell, were hospitalized after the crash. A family member told Spectrum News 13 that one of the boys is in critical but stable condition, and the other was stable.
According to authorities, "Santa Claus" rode out of a neighborhood on a truck during a Santa Run and onto South Patrick Drive, a four-lane, 40-mph-speed-limit road. That’s where the kids spotted him and darted into the street.
According to Indian Harbour Beach Volunteer Fire Chief Todd Scaldo, the quick thinking of the fire truck driver who happens to be a nurse helped assist until the boys were airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando.
"He saw the arms and legs of the people flying up in the air, (and) he immediately realized what happened, (and) he turned around and started doing CPR,” Scaldo said.
According to police, the driver of the sedan that hit the kids fully cooperated with investigators after the crash. We reached out to police to get more information about the driver and if they are expected to face any charges and are still waiting to hear back.