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Student struck by car

A VSU student is recovering from injuries after being struck while crossing a street on campus by a vehicle.

Around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Miranda McNeal was crossing Brookwood Drive, heading towards the Fine Arts building when she was struck by a 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
McNeal was hit on her left side, suffering injuries to her hip bone.

According to the police report, the driver, David H. Tart IV, was under the influence of drugs and driving without his headlights on.

Tart was arrested following the incident on counts of driving under the influence, failing to yield the right of way and equipment violations.

“There was a guy crossing [the street] from the opposite side, so I thought it was okay to go ahead and cross,” McNeal said.

“Then this car came out of nowhere and hit me. I saw it coming kind of fast, so I tried to get to the sidewalk but didn’t make it in time. [The car] hit me and pushed me to the ground.”
Tart told police that he did not see McNeal in the crosswalk, but McNeal doubts his claim.

“He said he didn’t see me, but cars had stopped already for someone else to cross the street. How do you not see somebody crossing the street when all the cars are stopped? All he kept screaming was ‘I didn’t see her,’” McNeal said.

McNeal received injuries to her hip bone and bruises on her lower back. She will be using crutches to help ease the pain.

The Dean of Students has excused McNeal from classes for the rest of the week due to the incident.

“It’s harder to get around,” McNeal said. “I have to have a little bit of help. When I go back to class, I may have to have friends drop me off in front of the building.”

McNeal warns her fellow students that they too could also be in a similar predicament if they do not take the proper precautions.

“Watch and look out,” McNeal said. “Watch out for pedestrians. You could be the one that’s in jail or the person that got hit.”

Molly Duett and Amber Smith contributed to this report.

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