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Student struck by car on JPA

Monday morning a female University student was hit by a car while crossing Jefferson Park Avenue near New Cabell Hall and Dawson's Row.

Fourth-year College student Andy Riff said he was crossing the street with his roommates and the female student at a spot he described as an "unmarked crosswalk."

"We thought it was unsafe, but it is a convenient spot to cross," he said.

Around 7:45 a.m. the group attempted to cross the three lane street. Riff said two of the lanes of traffic stopped to let the group go, but after crossing the first two lanes, Riff said he and his roommates "recognized a car in the last lane that had no intention of stopping."

The victim then proceeded to cross the street; Riff states that "she sprinted" across JPA in the path of the oncoming car. The student was then blindsided by the car at approximately 30 to 35 miles per hour, thrusting her onto the windshield of the car. Fourth-year College student Guyon McKnight, Riff's roommate, who was present at the scene, described the car as "an old maroon Plymouth voyager."

The car then halted, and the student was thrown approximately 25 to 30 feet from the site of the collision, he said. Riff said that the accident "sounded like a car-on-car collision."

After the incident Riff says that he was told the victim was "breathing but not responding."

McKnight said he called 911 after the accident. McKinight said he did not know the student personally, but says "she lived in [Oakhurst] circle," the same complex he and Riff live in.

The spot on JPA near Dawson's row where the incident happened is a common place to cross, according to McKnight.

"I don't understand why there isn't a crosswalk there," Riff said. "Everyday we would cross the street right there; everybody crosses the street right there, it's not that big of a deal." McKnight said the girl did not look both ways before crossing and that she "hustled across" thinking she would make it.

"It happened so fast" McKnight said. "But we all knew it was going to happen, and it had happened before we could stop her."

University Police Captain Michael Coleman confirmed that an accident happened at that location in which a University student was injured.The name of the victim was not released.

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