Stolen Car’s Crash Puts 3 Children in Hospital

Three small children remained hospitalized Monday, one in critical condition, after an accident on Interstate 5 involving a car stolen at knifepoint minutes earlier and a reportedly intoxicated woman who stopped her pickup truck in the middle of the freeway, officials said.

Tammy Coburn, 26, of Chula Vista, was driving north on Interstate 5 near H Street about 9:30 p.m. Sunday with three children in the back of her pickup and a 2-year-old in the front when she rear-ended another pickup truck, California Highway Patrol spokesman Mark Gregg said.

While the driver who was hit pulled over to the shoulder, Coburn kept driving north until her hood popped open and she stopped her truck in the slow lane. She then got out, holding a 2-year-old girl who had been riding in the cab with another woman passenger, Gregg said.

As Coburn walked around to check on the children, a car that had been stolen minutes earlier slammed into the back of her truck, ejecting a 5-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl and a 6-year-old girl, Gregg said.

There were no skid marks at the scene, and investigators think the car was moving at full speed, Gregg said.

The man driving the car fled on foot and had not been found Monday, Gregg said.

Coburn, who Gregg said was under the influence of alcohol, also left the scene, with the 2-year-old, before officers arrived.

She may be charged with felony hit-and-run for leaving the scene of the accident after hitting the other pickup, Gregg said.

The owner of the car had reported it stolen at knifepoint just before the accident occurred, Gregg said.

The two girls, ages 3 and 6, were taken by Life Flight to Children’s Hospital. The 6-year-old underwent surgery for severe head injuries and was in critical condition Monday, and the 3-year-old was in fair condition with a bruised forehead, hospital spokesman Mark Morelli said.

The 5-year-old boy was taken with the adult passenger by ambulance to UCSD Medical Center, where he was in fair condition Monday night, a spokeswoman there said.

The two girls appear to be sisters, but Gregg said he did not know whose children they were.