Just before 7 p.m. on Monday, an Ashland University student was struck by a North-bound minivan while crossing Claremont Avenue by Burger King.

According to one of her friends, Zac Kopp, the student was freshman Allison Montgomery. He along with her other friends were contacted by Montgomery’s sister after the accident occurred.

Ashland Patrol Sargent Jerry Bloodhart explained that Montgomery was within feet of the sidewalk when she was hit.

“It was kind of a glancing hit,” said Bloodhart. “It’s a bad thing, you know, but also a good thing. If she had been struck more head on, the results could have been much more tragic.”

Bloodhart confirmed that Montgomery was in fact using the cross walk but was still unseen by the motorist in the minivan.

As the ambulance and police cars gathered so did on-looking students. According to Chris Ranc, who came to see what was happening, the sirens started around 6:45 p.m.

Students gathered around the scene and spoke somberly to one another. Some described the sounds they heard as the accident happened as “horrible” and others said they felt sick to their stomach knowing that someone was hit in a cross walk they use frequently.

Montgomery was taken to University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center in Ashland. Kopp confirmed that she sustained a fractured pelvis in the incident and that she is being taken to Grant Hospital in Columbus to be closer to home.

Montgomery is not expected to return to campus until after spring break.

Montgomery posted on Facebook at 10:22 p.m. on Monday to reach out to worried friends and family.

“Well guys, my leap day was spent getting hit by a car,” shared Montgomery. “I’m okay.”

Sargent Bloodhart reiterated the importance of using crosswalks and using them carefully.

“Student’s get in a rush sometimes and cross outside of the crosswalk. We do get complaints from motorists about students causing traffic issues,” said Bloodhart. “Crosswalks are there for a reason. Use them. And even when you’re in [the crosswalk] keep your head on a swivel.”

According to Ashland Patrol Sargent Garry Alting, the driver of the mini van was issued a citation for a city ordinance for failure to yield the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

According to Bloodhart, who has been on the force since 2000, at least three accidents similar to this have happened to Ashland students.