Auto accident on university grounds causes critical injuries

Philadelphia police are investigating an accident that occurred at approximately 7 p.m. on a recent Wednesday evening. The auto accident involved a sedan and a bicycle and caused critical injuries to the cyclist who is a student at a Pennsylvania university. Unfortunately, the driver failed to remain at the accident scene.

The father of the 22-year-old criminal justice student says she was riding her mountain bike after dinner and was on her way to study for her finals. The accident reportedly happened on the grounds of Temple University, and several surveillance cameras recorded the incident. The young woman suffered critical injuries to her head and legs when she was knocked off her bicycle, and she was admitted to Temple University Hospital.

Witnesses who saw the incident said the driver stopped for a brief moment before speeding away. They reported extensive damage to the vehicle. It is suspected that there were two passengers in the car, and police say it was suggested that the driver sped away upon encouragement from a passenger in the rear seat. A vehicle believed to have been the one involved in the accident was later located at an undisclosed location.

Finally, on the day after the accident, an 18-year-old came forward and admitted to hitting the cyclist. He was reportedly driving with only a learner’s permit and did not have a full driver’s license. No charges have yet been filed, but, as he left the scene of the accident, charges are expected. 

When a Pennsylvania resident is injured by a driver who leaves the scene, the individual may feel some sense of justice should the driver be convicted of criminal wrongdoing. However, justice can prevail in other ways. An injured victim also has the right to pursue a personal injury claim against a driver who caused an auto accident by acting negligently.

This blog entry was posted on behalf of [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″], and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the firm or its attorneys. The information presented in this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice.

Source: ABC Philadelphia, “Driver, 18, admits hitting Temple Univ. student, fleeing scene, police say“, April 30,2015