Police said the boys, ages 7 and 4, took their parents’ car before a collision on 35th Avenue.
OAKLAND, Calif. — A woman was critically injured Thursday after a car taken by two young brothers struck her as she walked her dog in East Oakland, police said. The boys, ages 7 and 4, were also taken to a hospital after the crash.
Oakland police said the children took a vehicle belonging to their parents while the adults were sleeping and traveled several blocks from home. The car first collided with another vehicle before the child behind the wheel lost control and struck the pedestrian, according to authorities. The investigation remained underway Friday.
The crash happened around 9:30 a.m. near 35th and Mangels avenues. Police said the car, identified in local reports as a white Toyota Camry, was traveling north on 35th Avenue when it struck a vehicle headed in the opposite direction. The impact was followed by the collision with the woman and then with a wall and fence at a nearby property.
The woman suffered life-threatening injuries and was listed in critical condition after being taken to a hospital. Authorities had not publicly identified her as of Friday morning. Both children were also transported for medical care. Officials said they were injured, but detailed information about the severity of their injuries was not immediately released.
Witness accounts and surveillance video reviewed by local news organizations showed the sedan traveling along 35th Avenue shortly before the crash. Witness Lavelle Shah-Marquis described hearing a loud collision and seeing the two young boys on the ground afterward. He said he hoped the injured woman would recover.
Police said the brothers had gotten access to their parents’ vehicle and traveled several blocks before the crash. Relatives identified the children as 7 and 4 years old. Authorities had not released additional details about how the children obtained the keys, who was operating the vehicle at each point or how long they had been away from home before the collision.
The woman had been walking her dog when she was struck. One report said the dog was not injured, while more detailed reporting from the scene said the animal ran away after the collision and its whereabouts were unclear Thursday. No later confirmed update on the dog’s location was available in the reports reviewed Friday morning.
The children’s parents were cooperating with Oakland police, authorities said. Police had not announced charges or publicly identified the parents. Investigators were continuing to examine the circumstances that allowed the children to gain access to the vehicle and what happened in the moments before the crash.
The case remained under investigation Friday, with the most serious immediate concern being the condition of the critically injured pedestrian. Authorities had not announced a change in her condition or disclosed any enforcement action connected with the incident.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 7, 2026.