Japanese Kindergarten principal held after driving van into group of children
The principal of a kindergarten in Saitama City made a nearly fatal mistake Thursday afternoon when he accidentally drove a van straight into a group of his pupils.
Wakano Shimamura, 63, principal of Iwasuki Wakaba Kindergarten, was driving the school van to pick up a group of 30 children who were waiting at the entrance when he accidentally drove into them. Two children, a four-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy, suffered broken legs in the accident, while seven others, aged four to six, sustained minor injuries.
Shimamura was arrested on a charge of causing injury with a motor vehicle. He was quoted by police as saying: “I mistook the accelerator for the brake. I saw the children getting wet in the rain and felt sorry for them, so I tried to get as close as possible. I’m really sorry.”
A man nearby said, “I saw children being carried to an ambulance on stretchers. My kids are supposed to start here next year, so I was really surprised.”
source: japantoday