Student arrest made in hit and run accident
By Dan O'Brien and Erika Lovley
Collegian Staff
September 26, 2004
A University of Massachusetts junior was arrested Friday morning after hitting a pedestrian on Commonwealth Avenue and leaving the scene, according to UMPD Deputy Police Chief Patrick Archbald.
Heather M. Winchester, 21, of Billerica, Mass., struck 19-year-old Ciara Tran of Dorchester, Mass., at approximately 2:30 a.m.. while driving south. Tran, a freshman, was listed in critical condition by the Amherst Fire Department upon her arrival at Bay State Medical Center.
Winchester is charged with operation under the influence of liquor with negligence in operation resulting in serious injury, leaving the scene of an accident, and operation under the influence of alcohol.
According to Archbald, Tran and three friends were walking south in the right lane after parking a car near the Mullins Center when she was struck with the fender of Winchester's 1994 dark green Subaru, throwing her onto the hood. Winchester then fled the scene. Police were unable to determine the speed of the vehicle at press time.
According to Lieutenant Robert Thrasher, Winchester was leaving a party at the time of the accident.
"She was driving home from a party in North Amherst ... She saw her [Tran] last minute and tried to pull around," he said.
Other motorists aided the situation by blocking and directing traffic until police arrived. Tran "She [Tran] was bleeding heavily and conscious but not coherent," said Archbald. "The vehicle didn't stop."
Tran was immediately transported to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield by Amherst Fire Department. The extent of her injuries was not available at press time.
UMPD made an extensive search of all parking lots on the UMass campus and found Winchester's vehicle in Lot 11 with extensive right front damage to the fender, hood, and a "spider web" windshield that matched shattered glass left behind at the scene. The vehicle was secured by Massachusetts State Police and UMPD.
Police responded to the door of Winchester's dorm room, but were unable to gain access because there was no answer at the door. Police stood outside the door and secured the room for several hours until Winchester opened the door and emerged.
"She came out of the room and didn't answer," said Archbald. "We were not sure of her condition."
Winchester voluntarily came to the station when asked for an interview by police, where she was later arrested. The UMPD detective bureau is still investigating the incident.
According to Baystate Medical Center officials, Tran is no longer in critical condition but is still in the hospital. Her condition was unavailable at press time
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