Freshman in fair condition, case to Commonwealth's Attorney's Office
Updated February 1, 1:45 p.m.
According to hospital officials, Bria Jahrling has been upgraded to fair condition.
Updated February 1, 11:57 a.m.
Freshman Bria Jahrling, who was seriously injured Tuesday after being struck by a car, is still located in the University of Virginia Medical Center as of Friday morning. Her current condition is not yet available.
Authorities have not released any more information about the accident or the driver of the vehicle, but according to JMU Spokesman Don Egle, the case has been moved to the Rockingham County Commonwealth’s Office for review.
Some students believe that accidents like Jahrling’s could be avoided by reducing traffic on campus.
According to Egle, the university analyzes traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, as well as traffic flow on a consistent basis each year and is currently in its master planning process. He would not elaborate on what plans may be instituted in the future, but said there are a variety of options available.
Posted on January 31, 2008
Hospital officials have confirmed that a JMU student is in serious condition at the University of Virginia Medical Center after being hit by a car Tuesday morning on campus.
Around 11 a.m. freshman Bria Jahrling of Middletown, Md., was struck on Bluestone Drive between the University Bookstore and Frederikson Hall.
Friends and hospital officials have confirmed that Jahrling was the individual involved and that she was taken to Rockingham Memorial Hospital and then flown to Charlottesville.
University Spokesman Don Egle reported her condition Tuesday as serious but stable. Hospital officials that evening reported her to be in critical condition. At press time, hospital officials reported a change to serious condition. Her family has been notified, Egle said.
Tuesday police shut down the portion of Bluestone Drive where the incident occurred and diverted traffic for several hours.
At the scene, police photographed a 2000 Audi sedan with front-end damage including a cracked windshield on the passenger-side. Egle would not release any details about the vehicle or its driver, citing the ongoing investigation.
Egle stated that JMU Police and the Harrisonburg Police Department are working together to investigate the incident using accident reconstruction analysis.
Some onlookers near the scene mistakenly thought a bus collided with the victim. According to Egle, buses were not directly involved.
One of the passengers on those buses was junior health sciences major Melanie Roshto. Roshto, who volunteers as a New Jersey EMT, had the skills to help before the arrival of the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad. She said she was struck by the “empathy and selflessness” of the bystanders who came to help.
“It is one thing for someone who is trained to help when they see this sort of thing,” she said, “but something completely different when untrained bystanders have the courage to come forward.”
According to Roshto, several bystanders were already there when she arrived, but they were unsure about what to do. She coached one of them how to take a pulse while she worked to stabilize Jahrling’s head.
Other bystanders were donating jackets and sweaters, holding Jahrling’s hand and comforting the driver of the vehicle, who she said was devastated. A bus driver even came to the scene to help, she said.
“They are all anonymous heroes who jumped to action,” Roshto said.
According to Roshto, Jahrling had a severe head injury and was responsive, but not alert after the accident. She also said that the Harrisonburg Fire Department and Harrisonburg Rescue Squad responded within approximately two minutes.
“I was impressed with their response time and professionalism,” she said.
According to Roshto, the male driver was most likely a student as he said he had been on his way to class.
No crossing signal exists on Bluestone Drive at the crosswalk closest to the incident, though signals do exist at the two nearby intersections with traffic lights at Carrier Drive and Duke Drive.
A week before Tuesday’s accident another student was struck by a vehicle near Memorial Hall. Junior Tiffany Martin was hit by an SUV while walking across South High Street. Martin suffered only minor injuries. The driver of that vehicle, Marcelo P. Santiago, was charged at that time with driving without a license and reckless driving, according to Harrisonburg police.
Egle declined to comment if charges would be filed in this case, pending the results of the investigation.
Students who are affected by this are encouraged to visit the Counseling & Student Development Center located in Varner House. CSDC is reachable by phone at (540) 568-6552.
Update on January 30, 2008 12:40 a.m.
After arriving at RMH, the victim was transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center. According to hospital officials, current status of the victim is "critical."
Posted on January 29, 2008
A female freshman was struck by a car Tuesday at about 11 a.m. on Bluestone Drive between the University Bookstore and Frederikson Hall. The victim was transported to Rockingham Memorial Hospital.
According to university spokesman Don Egle, the victim is, as of Tuesday evening, in serious but stable condition. Her family has been notified, he said.
Egle added that an ongoing police investigation with JMU Police and Harrisonburg Police, in partnership with Harrisonburg accident reconstruction personnel, is underway.
