Boy, 7, Killed in Playful Freeway Dash : Tragedy: Rancho Bernardo youngster is hit by three cars while following older brother across four lanes of Interstate 15.

Two Rancho Bernardo brothers went outside to play Tuesday night, but their game ended in tragedy on Interstate 15.

Seven-year-old Nathaniel Bennett was struck by three cars and killed about 9:45 p.m. as he tried to keep up with his 12-year-old brother, Alan, in a mad dash across four freeway lanes for the center divider, California Highway Patrol officials said.

“They just climbed over the fence,” said Gerald Bennett, the boys’ stepfather. “They were just playing around out there.”

It was the first time the boys had ever tried to cross the freeway, Bennett said.

CHP spokesman Mark Gregg said Alan Bennett dashed across southbound lanes to the center divider, about half a mile north of Rancho Bernardo Road. Nathaniel followed 15 feet behind him. He didn’t make it.

The boy was struck by a car driven by 21-year-old Derek Reed of San Diego, then by two more cars.

One witness said she saw Alan run back and shine a flashlight on his brother’s body before running back to the divider, Gregg said. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

The family lives west of the freeway at the Las Casitas Apartments, in the 17100 block of West Bernardo Drive.

Gerald Bennett, 36, who remodels houses and has lived in San Diego for six years, said his wife, Mary, and her four children--Alan, Nathaniel, a 10-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son--moved to San Diego a year ago from Montana.

Nathaniel went to Westwood Elementary School, where he would have entered the second grade next week, a school administrator said.

Alan, 12, goes to Bernardo Heights Middle School.

“He’s feeling as well as I guess you can anticipate for anyone in his situation,” his stepfather said.

The boy’s death saddened neighbors at the massive 368-unit Las Casitas Apartments where the family has lived for about six months, and co-workers of the boy’s mother have started a collection for the family.

“It’s upset me. It’s 60% family-oriented out here. We’re real close,” said Steve Polasek, a rental agent at the apartments. “It’s just a terrible, terrible tragedy for us. Everyone’s taking it really hard--the whole community has.”

“The little boy is adorable. His face is stuck in my mind,” said Judy Binder, who rented the Bennetts’ apartment to them.

Nathaniel’s mother, Mary Bennett, works as a benefits analyst for the county Department of Social Services. Co-workers there were stunned by the tragedy.

“People are just devastated,” department spokeswoman Carol Baenziger said. “We’re determining what the family’s needs are at this time, and a collection has started. I would imagine a lot more would be done as days go by. We’re going to try to offer as much support as we can.”

No charges have been filed in connection with the boy’s death.

“It was strictly the boys’ route,” Gregg said. “They were where they shouldn’t have been. The traffic could not avoid them at the time.”