An elderly male driver hit two students crossing Campus Road Sept. 7 around 8 p.m. Both students said they sustained some bruising and scratches but were not seriously injured.
Sergio Reyes-Aguilar (senior) said he and Kiana Gonzalez (junior) had just left the Latinx Student Union’s first meeting of the year at the Intercultural Community Center (ICC) when they started to cross Campus Road to get back to campus.
There is no crosswalk on Campus Road, but both students said that the car that hit them initially stopped at the stop sign on the same street.
Upon seeing the stopped car, Reyes-Aguilar said that he resumed walking when the car began to drive again.
“We just assumed that he wouldn’t keep going,” Reyes-Aguilar said.
Gonzalez said she noticed that the car was not slowing down, so she tried to wave at the driver to verbalize that she and Reyes-Aguilar were crossing the street.
“I was kinda like… we’re literally gonna get hit right now. And then we did,” Gonzalez said.
Reyes-Aguilar said that he didn’t realize what was happening until Gonzalez screamed. He said he turned around and that the last thing he saw was a headlight coming towards him.
“I was like, okay this is it,” Reyes-Aguilar said. “Next thing I know, I’m on the floor.”
Charles Willis, a Campus Security officer, witnessed the accident. Willis said he was securing the gate by the Hameetman Science Center on American Way and was talking to a staff member of Facilities Management when they heard a loud crash.
“I immediately turned toward the direction of the noise, which is that intersection of American Place and Campus Road, and that’s when we observed two students on the ground in front of the vehicle that struck them,” Willis said.
According to Willis, Reyes-Aguilar and Gonzalez started to get up as he called his partner on duty for assistance. Willis said he then pulled the driver aside and began taking photos of the license plate and vehicle information.
Willis said the driver was a resident who lives near the college.
After moving Reyes-Aguilar and Gonzalez to the curb to avoid road traffic, Willis said he then called 911 to evaluate any injuries.
“It could’ve been worse, but luckily it wasn’t,” Willis said.
Both Gonzalez and Reyes-Aguilar said they did not press charges against the driver, who Gonzalez said was visibly upset after the incident and continually asked if the pair needed a ride to the hospital. Gonzalez and Reyes-Aguilar both said they did not accept his offer.
Instead of being mad at the driver, Gonzalez said she and Reyes-Aguilar should be mad at the city for the lack of lighting and a crosswalk.
“We realized that afterward there’s not even a painted crosswalk,” Gonzalez said. “But we did everything right. It’s just at the hands of something greater than either the drivers and us, the pedestrians.”
Reyes-Aguilar said that he was overwhelmed by the emergency response, but was grateful for Campus Safety’s quick thinking and kindness in the accident’s aftermath.
“The firefighters arrived, the ambulance arrived and then the police arrived…this thing was just very chaotic,” Reyes-Aguilar said.
Before the accident, Gonzalez said she felt safe walking around campus. However, she said the accident changed those feelings.
“I’m out in the streets with my friends and then I’m being extra careful or, a little bit more tense and I’m like, ‘Oh this actually affected me,’” Gonzalez said.
Reyes-Aguilar said he also felt safe before the accident and the last thing going through his mind was that he would get hit by a car.
“I feel unsafe as a pedestrian now,” Reyes-Aguilar said.
Lensa Taha (sophomore) said she was also hit by a car Sept. 12 while riding a bike 10 minutes away from Digital Photo Printing and Studio on North Glendale Avenue. Taha said she has noticed that cars driving around campus seem to intentionally speed up when seeing pedestrians.
“I will say, coming to the ICC, which is something I do often, I always have to double-check because you never know who’s not paying attention,” Taha said.
Gonzalez said that after the accident, she was scared to cross the surrounding roads due to drivers speeding and slamming their brakes.
“I’ve been very adamant to get that light and crosswalk painted,” Gonzalez said. “Like that needs to happen.”
Willis said students should be mindful that these accidents do occur near campus.
“Always be aware of the other driver, but never trust their judgment,” Willis said.
Contact Reyan Nguy at nguy@oxy.edu
