Mom, 2 Young Children Hospitalized In South LA Bus Bench Crash

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A mother and two children were hospitalized Monday after being struck by a car in South Los Angeles, authorities said.

The victims were at a bus bench along the 1100 block of West Jefferson Boulevard near Vermont Avenue when the accident occurred around 1:20 p.m., according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.

A 32-year-old woman and a 1-year-old girl were taken to a hospital in critical condition, and a 3-year-old girl was taken to a hospital in serious condition, Humphrey said.

Police said all three were said to be "doing OK," reported CBS2's Laurie Perez in the 5 o'clock hour. Their names were not made available.

The driver of the car, who apparently lost control of the vehicle before crashing into the bench near USC's University Village, was uninjured, according to officials.

A woman at the scene told Perez that the driver didn't just lose control but that another vehicle allegedly got in the way.

"At this time, it's inconclusive. We have video cameras at the intersection here that we have to look into a little bit further to see exactly what had happened," LAPD Officer Peter Argueta said.

Police released the driver pending the outcome of an investigation. Police said it did not appear that alcohol or texting were factors in the crash.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)