ANKENY — No criminal charges will be filed after an Iowa driver struck and injured children in a school pickup lane earlier this year, Ankeny police announced Thursday.
The Ankeny Police Department said on May 28, 2026, that it has completed its investigation into the March 24, 2026, collision at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School, 1102 NW Weigel Drive.
Police said the crash happened at about 3:15 p.m. as students were waiting to be picked up after school. A vehicle went over the curb and entered the pickup line, striking children outside the school.
Initial reports said 15 children were injured. Police said Thursday that the completed investigation found 16 children were injured in the collision.
Nine children were transported by ambulance after the crash, and six others were taken by family members to area hospitals and urgent care clinics. Police said all children injured in the collision have since been treated and released from the hospital, though some are still recovering.
The children involved ranged in age from 7 to 11.
During the investigation, Ankeny police conducted 32 interviews, executed search warrants, completed a mechanical inspection of the vehicle and submitted blood samples from the driver for lab testing to determine whether the driver was impaired at the time of the crash.
Police said the lab results did not support OWI charges.
Investigators determined the 76-year-old driver mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake while approaching the school pickup line, causing the vehicle to move forward into students waiting to be picked up.
The completed case was presented to the Polk County Attorney’s Office for legal review and possible charges. After reviewing the facts and evidence, authorities determined there was no legal basis for criminal charges.
Because no criminal charges are being filed, police said the driver’s identity will not be publicly released.
The crash brought a major emergency response to the school, with Ankeny police and fire personnel responding alongside first responders from Johnston-Grimes, Polk City and Saylor Township, who assisted with patient transport.
Police said parents, school staff and people already in the pickup line also provided immediate help to the injured children before emergency crews arrived.
“Ankeny Police and Fire also recognize that the quick actions of several community members, parents, school staff and first responders in the immediate aftermath of the collision had a profound impact on the outcome of children involved in this incident,” police said Thursday.
Following the crash, St. Luke’s asked for prayers and thanked the community for its support. At the time, school officials said there was no formal fundraiser established for the families involved.
Police said the department continues to keep the recovering children, their families, classmates, school staff and the broader community in its thoughts.
With the investigation complete and no criminal charges being filed, Ankeny police said no further information related to the incident will be released.
Wonder who this guy knows.