4x4 driver careered into children during primary school pick-up - 'like bowling ball hitting skittles'

A woman who lost control of her car and hit 11 people - including seven children - outside a primary school has denied driving dangerously.

Five of the children were taken to hospital when paramedics, including an air ambulance team, arrived at the scene, jurors were told.

Dolly Rincon-Aguilar, 38, admitted driving her husband’s Toyota Rav4 to pick up children from Beatrix Potter Primary School in Earlsfield, south west London, but denied her driving was dangerous on 8 September 2020.

Nathan Rasiah QC, prosecuting, said it was a normal end of the school day when "suddenly, people heard the loud noise of a car engine revving and turned to see a green 4x4 vehicle mounting the pavement and colliding with a small tree.

“The vehicle did not stop. It continued over the tree and struck the wall of the school. It still did not stop, continuing on the side of the pavement and scraping the wall.

"To the horror of those looking on, it appeared to accelerate towards the gate of the school.

Rasiah said one witness thought the car sped up as it drove towards a crowd of people where "it struck them like a bowling ball hitting skittles."

Only after the car hit the metal railings outside the school gate did it stop.

Rasiah said: "The whole sequence is a matter of seconds.”

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Eight people were seriously injured by the car, with one child suffering multiple fractures to the skull and pelvis and bleeding on the brain.

Rincon-Aguilar’s child was in the backseat of the car at the time, but emerged from the car unharmed.

Rasiah said Rincon-Aguilar was in the driving seat in a state of shock after the crash.

He said Rincon-Aguilar stepped on the accelerator pedal instead of the brake and panicked.

Rincon-Aguilar accepts her driving caused the injuries but she denies dangerous driving.

The trial continues.