Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Student struck by vehicle while collecting for charity

While he was out collecting donations for the homeless on Halloween night in participation with a MassPirg charity program, a student from the University of Massachusetts was struck by a car on Triangle St. in Amherst at around 7:30 p.m.

James Greene, a UMass senior, was out “trick or canning” for canned food donations on Oct. 31 as part of the “Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness” with his fellow members of the UMass student chapter of MassPirg, a non-profit organization that deals with issues facing Massachusetts residents. Greene had just left the DB Mart and began to cross the street near Bertucci’s restaurant when he was struck by a white sedan. According to Greene, the sedan did not have its headlights on. He added that he also recalled hearing shouts right before he was hit but he did not have enough time to react.

According to authorities, a young woman who was driving in the  white sedan was turning north onto Triangle St. when Greene ran out in front of the car. Authorities added that the woman could not stop in time and yelled to get Greene’s attention. Greene hit the hood of the sedan and broke through the windshield. He remained conscious after being hit while  bystanders immediately called for help. Greene was rushed to Bay State Hospital in Springfield and was later released around 10 p.m. with injuries to his forehead. Lieutenant Robert Young of the Amherst Police Department said that that driver has not received any citations as there was no crosswalk where Greene was trying to get across the street.

According to Greene, he said he was lucky to have escaped with a near clean bill of health.

Though he added, “It was hard to walk on Sunday, and there’s gravel or something embedded in my left foot, which is swollen”.

When asked about the cuts on his forehead, Greene said they “made one hell of a Halloween costume”.

Angela MacGray can be reached at [email protected].

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