Pedestrian struck by car in crosswalk outside main UP entrance

By Natalie Rubio-Licht | November 21, 2017 8:03pm
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A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at around 5 p.m. Photo from a 2014 collision in front of the University of Portland main entrance, where this incident also took place.
Media Credit: The Beacon / The Beacon

This article has been updated with new information as of 2 p.m. on Wednesday. 

A University of Portland student was hit by a vehicle at around 5 p.m. on the crosswalk in front of the UP entrance, according to Public Safety.

According to Portland Police Bureau Sergeant Christopher Burley, an adult woman was struck by a white Honda and is being treated for minor, non-life threatening injuries at a nearby hospital.

The driver left the scene after the collision, but later reported the incident to Portland Police after stopping a short distance away, according to Burley. 

Despite having fled the scene, the driver was not charged with a hit and run (or more formally known as "failure to perform duties as a driver"). Instead, the driver was cited with careless driving with a crash and operating a motor vehicle with no insurance. 

"The driver reported to police that he was involved in the crash," Burley said. "His actions, while not advisable, would most likely not fit the threshold for failure to perform the duties of a driver – he reported what he did and met with police."

Junior nursing student Emily Holguin said she was walking home right as the incident occurred and saw a woman lying in the middle of the road while two men tried to help her. 

"The woman was sobbing, speaking and answering questions," Holguin said. "One man was stabilizing her head and another was assessing her extremities. They tried to get her up but she collapsed."

Holguin said she stayed at the scene to help direct traffic until paramedics arrived. 

This was the second person this semester to be struck at the crosswalk on Willamette this semester. UP alum Elisa Reverman was hit in late September. 

Three students were struck on the sidewalk last February and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. One student was hit Feb. 1 and two students were hit in the same spot two weeks later. 

The city installed a new lighting system for the crosswalk soon after the incidents, and just recently lowered the speed limit on the university's stretch of Willamette from 35 mph to 30 mph.  

This is a developing story, The Beacon will add to it as we learn more information. Please send any more information regarding this incident to upbeacon@up.edu

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