A driver reportedly hit several Westlake High School students near the Thousand Oaks campus Tuesday afternoon, leaving one in critical condition.
Ventura County Sheriff’s officials investigating the incident said they were still trying to determine whether the collision was accidental or an intentional act.
The crash was reported shortly before 3:40 p.m. near Lakeview Canyon Road and East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, said sheriff’s Capt. Greg Gibson.
Authorities believe the incident is linked to a stabbing earlier in the day at a Walmart in Simi Valley, according to the Simi Valley Police Department. A suspect allegedly stabbed a store employee around 2:40 p.m. at the 255 W. Cochran St. location, the department said. The suspect fled in a Toyota Camry with a missing bumper. Simi officials said the car may have been the one at the Lakeview Canyon Road incident. The suspect was apprehended at the collision scene, officials said.
Mark McLaughlin, superintendent of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, sent a message about the incident, which he said happened around 3:15 p.m. when a vehicle drove off the road and “struck a group of Westlake High School students who were walking on the sidewalk.”
“It is with a heavy heart that I write this message,” McLaughlin wrote, saying thoughts and prayers were with the students, their families and the Warrior community.
As of 5:15 p.m., the incident remained under active investigation, Gibson said.
Several juveniles had been taken by ambulance to area hospitals for treatment, including one victim in critical condition. The number of victims struck and the number transported weren’t clear as of 5:15 p.m., he said.
Two of the agency’s public information officers were headed to the scene, with more information expected later.