A student was struck by a car this evening in an apparent hit-and-run accident near Emerson Hall.

Sophomore Steve McDonald said he and his friends were returning from dinner near 7:40 p.m. and were in the crosswalk at the intersection across from Emerson Hall when a car hit him on the side of his right leg. McDonald said the impact sent him flying onto the pavement face-first, where he then slid forward across the wet road.

McDonald said he was not seriously hurt.

“I’m a little shaken up, but I’m ok,” he said.

McDonald’s friend, sophomore Eric Carosia, said he saw the car stopped at the intersection’s stop sign.

“Then [the driver] gunned it,” Carosia said.

Carosia said he and McDonald tried to jump away from the approaching vehicle.

“If we hadn’t jumped he would have hit me with the front of the car instead of being clipped,” McDonald said.“Then I probably would be in the hospital.”

McDonald said the area they were crossing was well lit and didn’t understand why the driver never stopped.

“I can’t believe he didn’t stop to see if I was ok,” McDonald said. “He just sped off.”

Neither McDonald nor Carosia said they had a clear view of the driver, the license plate or the number of passengers in the car because the windows were covered in snow. McDonald said he recognized the car as a Mercury Mystique. He said he couldn’t be sure of the exact color, only that it was dark.

Public Safety is currently searching for the vehicle. Any information on the vehicle should be reported to (274)-3333.