Story perspectives

79-Year-Old Crashes Into Glendale Preschool, Eight Kids Injured

8/9/2026

Summary

Senior Driver Crash

A 79-year-old woman crashed her black Infiniti into a Grandview House Preschool classroom in Glendale, California on Aug. 7, injuring eight children.
Sgt. Gaik Pobokhian said the driver attempted a U-turn, confused the gas and brake pedals, and police, finding no DUI, detained her and released her without charges.
Witnesses Vigen Hovsepyan and Mahmoud Hajazi rescued the children and the road reopened by 6:30 p.m.

Summary

Preschool Crash

The crash at Grandview House Preschool, located at Temple Sinai of Glendale, prompted synagogue leaders to review safety protocols.
Parents arrived in tears, escorted their children away while volunteers cleared debris and comforted families.
A white SUV with a damaged rear-left bumper was photographed on the lot, indicating multiple vehicles were involved.
Glendale Fire Department personnel provided on-site medical aid and transported the eight injured children to hospitals.

History

Historical Context

A 1999 Texas school-bus crash in Dallas joined a series of late-1990s tragedies—such as the September 21 Alton crash that killed 21 students and the May 14 Carrollton collision that left 27 dead—spurring a wave of U.S. vehicle-safety reforms. Legislators and agencies responded with stricter site protocols and funding for barriers and driver-training programs.

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Senior Driver Crash

A 79-year-old woman crashed her black Infiniti into a Grandview House Preschool classroom in Glendale, California on Aug. 7, injuring eight children.
Sgt. Gaik Pobokhian said the driver attempted a U-turn, confused the gas and brake pedals, and police, finding no DUI, detained her and released her without charges.
Witnesses Vigen Hovsepyan and Mahmoud Hajazi rescued the children and the road reopened by 6:30 p.m.

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