Crossing Guard Seriously Hurt Pushing Child From Path of Car

A Los Angeles school crossing guard was being hailed as a hero Thursday after pushing a 7-year-old boy out of the path of an oncoming car, only to be hit herself and seriously hurt, police said.

Carmen Garcia, 44, a 15-year crossing guard veteran and mother of five, was ushering a group of children across the intersection of Cadillac and Halm avenues about 7:30 a.m. when she saw a car fail to slow down.

All but one of the group, on their way to Shenandoah Street School in West Los Angeles, were able to scurry across the street, said Deputy Chief Frank Piersol of the Los Angeles Police Department.

But second-grader Carnell Patterway looked like he would not make it to safety when Garcia moved in to protect the child, who suffered only minor scrapes, Piersol said.

“She truly put herself in the way of that car to save that young child,” Piersol said.

The driver of the car was not arrested, Piersol said, although an investigation was continuing. Police released few details about the incident.

Garcia was undergoing surgery Thursday night at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to reattach a thumb severed in the accident, Piersol said. She also suffered a broken leg and hip, pelvic injuries and severe head lacerations, hospital officials said, none of which appeared life threatening.

Carnell was treated and released.

Garcia had worked at the school for about four years, police said, and knew all of her young charges.

“I thank her from the bottom of my heart,” said the child’s grandmother, 73-year-old Thelma Blackburn. “My prayers are with her recovery.”

Blackburn said Carnell also “wants to thank Mrs. Garcia when he sees her.”

Alvairene Scott, who has been principal of the school for three years, said students and staff were concerned throughout the day--and then relieved to hear that both Garcia and Carnell were going to be all right.

“The children are fine,” Scott said late Thursday. “They are all asking questions. They know [Garcia] and they’re pleased to know she’s OK. They’re also so pleased to know the child involved is OK.”

Blackburn said the boy came home with bandages covering cuts on a hand; he also, she said, is sporting a couple of knots on his head. “He said his head was hurting and he went to sleep,” Blackburn said.