Florida Day Care Center Crash : Kills 1, Injures 14

Eleven children were injured when a car slammed into a day care center Wednesday in Florida after being struck by a hit-and-run driver, police said.

Several children suffered “very serious” injuries following the accident at the KinderCare center in Winter Park, outside Orlando, said Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Wanda Diaz.

The young victims were transported to five hospitals in the region.

Witnesses reported that a silver Dodge Durango forced a Toyota Solara off the highway about 3:10 p.m. and sped away, Diaz said. The driver of the car was not hurt.

The SUV was found about 5:20 p.m. at a home in nearby Winter Park and authorities put out an alert for Corchado, said Highway Patrol Maj. Cindy Williams. He reportedly was spotted at Orlando International Airport, and his photo was circulated among car-rental agencies.

The Highway Patrol initially reported that Corchado had rented a car at the airport but later said he rented a Mazda CSX 1 from an Enterprise outlet in Winter Park, WOFL-TV reported Wednesday night.

Prison records cited by the Sentinel, WESH and WKMG-TV show Corchado was released in 2012 after nearly three years in prison for cocaine trafficking. He was awaiting court action over his December arrest in Seminole County on charges of possession of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and other controlled substances, plus careless driving, hit-and-run and leaving the scene of a crash with damage to property.

Agencies/Canadajournal