An accident in Colorado Springs injured three girls when they were ejected from a car their father was driving this morning.
Shortly before 9 a.m., emergency crews were called to Lake Avenue near the Colorado Highway 115 overpass, on a report of an accident, said Sunny Smaldino, spokeswoman for the Colorado Springs Fire Department.
A man identified as Michael Bobain, 35, was driving with his two daughters and stepdaughter, ages 11, 15 and 16, when he reportedly ran a stop sign and pulled out in front of a Toyota Camry traveling on Lake Boulevard.
The Camry hit the broadside of the man’s two-door Honda Civic, ejecting all three girls.
Police told the Gazette late this afternoon that the 16-year-old suffered severe burns from the heat of the engine when she was trapped beneath the car. The 15-year-old suffered serious injuries and the 11-year-old was treated and released.
Bobain was issued a summons for careless driving involving an injury, police said.
Two soldiers from Fort Carson witnessed the accident and immediately pulled over to help. One of the men, a medic, was able to start treating the man and girls before emergency crews arrived.
“They were our heroes for the day,” Smaldino said. “They were able to assist us with four critical patients and that was pretty amazing.”
The driver of the Camry, whose name has not been released, was not injured.
Bobain was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
All three girls were taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Their names have not been released and it was not yet known which school the girls attend, Smaldino said.
The crash is still under investigation. Authorities do not know if the girls were wearing their seatbelts.
It does appear that the driver of the Camry was driving at 45 mph, the posted speed limit.
Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794 or jsteffen@denverpost.com
