The accident happened on Cahal Avenue around 9 am Monday. Afterward, a Metro ambulance rushed from the scene with a critically injured 12 year-old boy inside, while his 11 year-old brother was still being treated at the scene - the driveway of his home.
Witness Seth Holmes said, "One of them got pinned against the door and the house, and the other had his left leg pinned against the car and the door, so all the weight was on both kids."
11-year-old Tyrone Smith was rushed from the scene to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital with serious leg injuries. Police say that he and his 12-year-old brother had gotten into the family car, started it and put it in gear.
"The 11-year-old was behind the wheel when the car started rolling. He thought he was putting the brake on, but instead of the brake, he mashed the accelerator," said Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron.
Tyrone received a leg injury, apparently by trying to get out of the car. Then 12-year-old Timothy Smith tried to protect his younger brother. Damage to the car and rear-view mirror showed the impact.
Nashville Fire Deputy Chief Kim Lawson said, "He actually attempted to stop the car from rolling. You can't stop a car from rolling, and it rolled into the house, pinning him between the car and the house."
Although the injuries to the oldest boy were critical, they could have been life-threatening if not for the fact that Fire Station #18 was just across the street and a firefighter heard their screams.
"Thank goodness we were in the hall and could respond over there real quick and start a rescue," said Nashville Fire Capt. Doug Conquest.
Paramedics also rushed over from Station 18 and started IV lines to stablize the young victims while firefighters started a tricky rescue.
Chief Lawson said, "We couldn't get the rescue into the house to get a parallel angle to pull the car away, so we had to do some manipulating around trees and things to get our cables coming in the right direction. So it was pretty tricky."
Tricky but timely, thanks to the location of what police are calling an unfortunate accident. Authorities say the boys' mother was inside their home when her sons put the car in gear. Vanderbilt Children's Hospital isn't releasing updated information on the victims' conditions.
Related:
