Two VSU students were hospitalized after a car collided with them. 

A 45-year-old man was driving west on Brookwood Drive in a white GMC Suburban when he failed to see two pedestrians crossing the street, allegedly due to the sun in his eyes. He hit the victims at 5:10 p.m. while trying to pull down his visor, sending them backwards about 70 feet, according to the report from Georgia State Patrol.  

A deputy witnessed the collision and called 911 to the scene. The victims were taken to South Georgia Medical Center. The driver, Christopher Sherman, was ticketed for failing to yield to pedestrians.  

One victim, Tylonda Anderson, talked about their experience and what happened prior to the collision. 

“My friend and I were walking around campus to be more active, and we were crossing behind the Fine Arts Building coming back on to the main campus,” Anderson, a graduate student and business major, said. “As we were walking, we were struck. It was very shocking because we did everything right. We pressed the button, looked both ways before and we weren’t on our phones.” 

According to Anderson, the injuries that they sustained from the wreck were extensive, but did not say anything further. They encourage students to be aware of their surroundings and not to take their abilities for granted. 

“I know that a lot of college students joke about the fact that ‘if I get hit at least my tuition is paid.’” Anderson said. “The pain and fear that I felt, and continue to feel, is not a funny feeling, it’s unbearable… There was nothing I could have done differently to prevent it, but I urge students and faculty to never take the freedom to walk for granted.” 

Georgia State Patrol took over the investigation due to the severity in order to conduct a traffic accident reconstruction. VSU Police Department released a statement following the crash, advising drivers to exercise caution when crossing the street or driving.  

“The sun is setting earlier and there are fewer trees shading the roads around campus after Hurricane Helene, this can make it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians.” 

This collision happened 10 years after the death of 21-year-old Elizabeth Lohmar, who was killed after being hit by a truck on Feb. 5, 2014. She was hit while trying to cross Patterson Street with the pedestrian light and the man who hit her, also a VSU student, was charged with second degree vehicular homicide. 

Written by Bailey Wilson, Managing Editor. Graphic courtesy of Georgia State Patrol.