Five Children Ejected, Injured in Dallas Crash

26-year-old driver of pickup charged with intoxication assault

Dallas police say five children were ejected from an SUV after a crash with a pickup truck early Monday morning.

The collision took place just before 1 a.m. at Garland Road and Buckner Boulevard where police said a pickup heading eastbound on Garland Road ran a red light and struck a Lincoln Navigator broadside, spinning it around.

During the crash, the five children were ejected from the SUV.

All of the injured children were taken to Dallas Children's Medical Center, including 12-year-old girl who has severe head injuries. Another younger boy is also in fair condition Monday afternoon. The other children had bumps, bruises and road rash from being thrown into the intersection.

The Navigator was loaded with three adults and six children, police said the vehicle is designed to carry seven passengers, so it's obvious some of the passengers were not properly restrained.

Police said the driver of the pickup, 26-year-old Edward Rodriguez, tried to leave after the crash but several witnesses surrounded him and started taking pictures of both the man and his truck while keeping him from leaving the scene of the crash.

Police said Rodriguez who does not have a license, complained of neck and back pain and was taken to Baylor Medical Center.

Rodriguez was arrested and charged with intoxication assault according to Dallas police. He's being held on $75,000 bond as well as several warrants out of Rockwall and Waxahachie.

Vehicle records show the owner of the Navigator was just nine minutes from home at the time of the crash.

Police said the intersection had red light cameras and witnesses said they saw a flash, so officers said it's likely there is a photograph proving the pickup ran the red light.

NBC 5's Kendra Lyn contributed to this report.

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