Accident victim suffers broken nose, lost teeth
By Dan O'Brien, Collegian Staff
February 22, 2006
One University of Massachusetts student who was hit by a car near the Southwest Residential Area on Monday suffered from a broken nose and had several teeth knocked out, according to the UMass news office.
Candace Letizia, 20 of Washington dormitory had to be taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and treated for the serious injuries. She and another Washington dorm resident, 20-year-old Lora Bash, ended up on the windshield of a Nissan Maxima when they were hit at 4:40 p.m.
Letizia has since been released from the hospital, and is recovering from her injuries at her parents' house.
The third accident victim, Kate Darling, 19 of Pierpont dormitory and Bash were treated and released from Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton.
"[Police] haven't even had a chance to interview the victims yet because they had to be transported to the hospital," UMass Deputy Police Chief Patrick Archbald said yesterday. "The case is still very much ongoing."
Police have charged the driver of the vehicle, UMass student Felicia Nitch, 19 of West Springfield, with failing to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
UMass police told the Massachusetts Daily Collegian on Monday that Nitch was 18 years old, but they now say that she is 19 years old.
The accident occurred on Massachusetts Ave. near the intersection of Sunset Ave., in front of WFCR-FM radio.
Police said the three students were crossing the street heading north when the car hit them at a "low speed."
No passengers in the car were injured, police said. The passengers have only been identified as students from Westfield State College.
Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash, police said.
"We are investigating environmental conditions � With respect that the sun may have played a factor in visibility," said UMass Police Sgt. Ian Cyr.
In the past week, five people were hit by cars on the UMass campus.
Last Tuesday, two union workers were hit by different cars while protesting outside the construction site of the new North Residential Area, near the Sylvan Residential Area. The victims were identified as Stephen Keane and Daniel Redmond of Holyoke. They were treated and released at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton for their injuries.