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Suspect Charged After Stolen Truck Plows Into Philadelphia School Playground

The near‑miss at Mitchell Elementary underscores fresh worries about traffic safety in a crowded school zone.

Overview

  • Police say the driver, identified as Robert Littlepage of Georgia, tried to carjack a woman and then stole an idling utility truck Tuesday in Southwest Philadelphia’s Kingsessing neighborhood.
  • Surveillance video shows the truck striking vehicles, jumping the curb, running a red light at 55th Street and Kingsessing Avenue, and flipping onto Mitchell Elementary’s playground.
  • Officers arrested the suspect at the scene, and authorities say charges will include attempted carjacking, aggravated assault, and reckless driving.
  • School safety officers and police reported no children were outside at the time and no serious bystander injuries, with one person from a struck car hospitalized in stable condition.
  • Outlets differ on the suspect’s age and some background details, and officials have not yet provided records that resolve those discrepancies.