Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White


Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Crash puts student in hospital

Crash+puts+student+in+hospital
Drew Hoover

Wreck

Update: Just after midnight Thursday,  Bret Reynolds, a senior who was cycling with Thomas at the time of the accident, said Thomas is stable, and doctors hope to move him from intensive care in the next few days.

A University student was in serious condition after being struck by a black sedan at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, officials at Druid City Hospital Regional Medical Center said.

Blake Thomas, 23, was riding his bicycle through the intersection of Marr’s Spring Drive and Campus Drive when he was struck by the vehicle.

“The cyclist … was taken to [DCH] Regional Medical Center for treatment,” said University spokeswoman Cathy Andreen. “UAPD is currently reviewing details of the accident.”

Thomas, a senior majoring in economics, remains in intensive care, said his girlfriend Mia Marcks. DCH spokesman Brad Fisher confirmed Thomas’ critical state but could make no further comment due to patient confidentiality rules.

Marcks, 20, said the course of events isn’t yet entirely clear, but she has an idea of what happened.

“What I was told is that he was going down the hill [behind the Ferguson Center], and the car didn’t see him at the intersection and it pulled out, and Blake hit the right front fender, then hit the windshield and went over the car and landed on his back.

“Bret [a friend who was cycling with Thomas] called me while they were waiting on the paramedics,” she said. “I was freaking out, hoping he was OK. He said [Thomas] was breathing but not responsive. He was lying there with his eyes open. I was scared as hell. I just felt shock.”

Marcks said Thomas sustained bleeding to the brain and lungs. Due to the magnitude of his injuries, Thomas currently requires breathing assistance.

“He’s on a breathing apparatus right now because of the bleeding in his lungs, but [the doctors] said they were going to try to get that out today,” she said. “Last night, he had a tube [down his throat], and he was heavily sedated.”

Thomas also sustained a severe concussion and a skull fracture, Marcks said.

“They told us that he’ll be OK. [The doctors] kept saying that over and over,” she said. “But they scanned him from head to toe to make sure he was OK, because they didn’t already know he had internal bleeding.”

Jake Smith, a New College sophomore, witnessed the accident. He said he heard a “weird noise” while he walked back to his residence hall, Ridgecrest West, at the time of the collision.

“I turned around and I saw [Thomas] going head-over-heels, like, 10 feet in the air,” he said.  The car’s windshield was totaled, Smith added.

“The driver said he didn’t see him,” he said. “The police kept telling him to calm down and that it was just an accident. I don’t know if [Thomas] wasn’t paying attention or if the [driver] wasn’t.”

As he dialed 9-1-1, Smith said, Thomas was bleeding from the head. Meanwhile, Thomas’ friend and fellow senior, Bret Reynolds, received medical advice from paramedics via a phone call.

I stayed there until [the ambulance] had taken [Thomas] away and cleaned up,” Smith said. “Then [a policeman] came back for my statement, and then I left. I was there for about 30 minutes.

“It was really surreal,” he said. “I felt very detached from the whole thing.”

Marcks said Thomas will be hospitalized for at least a few days.

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