WAUKESHA -- A car full of Waukesha South High School students struck a tree so hard Wednesday afternoon, pieces from the wreck were scattered throughout neighbors' front yards.
Duane Flooden heard the crash before he saw it.
"Oh it was terrible. It was like an explosion going off, a bomb, you could hear it," Flooden said.
Sirens brought Julia Bull outside.
"I came out and just see the accident right on the corner and then I hear there were five kids from South High School were speeding and then they hit a tree," Bull said.
Police said speed is believed to be a significant factor in the crash.
The car left the student lot during the open lunch hour. The accident happened on Roberta Avenue, not even a mile from school.
"I was really worried when I had heard about the accident knowing that a kid in my class was in the accident," said Andrew Kern, Waukesha South High School senior.
The school was put on lockdown Wednesday, but students were told it was just a drill.
"They didn't talk about it at school, but word travels pretty quick amongst the students," Kerr said.
The five teenagers in the car were transported to the hospital, one by helicopter.
"We follow the laws of the road and ya know we're really good drivers on average," Kerr said.
Police said the teenagers are all being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
