Student hit by car on 48th
GVL/Kevin Sielaff
Sep 14, 2014
Originally published 9/15/14
Brooke Tomcsik, a student at Grand Valley State University, was walking home when she was struck from behind by a motor vehicle near the intersection of 48th Avenue and Pierce Street. After the accident, the car drove away without hesitation, making Tomcsik a victim of a hit and run. Shortly after the accident, several cars stopped to help Tomcsik, putting a blanket over her and contacting emergency services.
After arrival at Spectrum Health hospital, X-rays and examinations revealed that Tomcsik had bruises covering her body, lacerations, mild elbow injuries and extreme discomfort and body aching.
“I’m really lucky I only walked away with sore muscles and bruising,” Tomcsik said. “Sitting through my two 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. classes and daily activities are really hard right now.”
Tomcsik cannot remember much about the car that hit her except for the fact that the vehicle had circular tail lights and, based on the impact of the accident, front bumper damage. Working with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, news of the accident has been posted in hopes of finding a lead on the accident.
“The weird thing is that I’ve already forgiven the person who did this, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want justice,” Tomcsik said. “If the driver would have stopped, I wouldn’t have personally pursued this so hard. They just need to think about the fact that this is a human life in jeopardy.”
One of Tomcsik’s biggest concerns is keeping future students walking down the roads safe. With limited lighting and visibility in an area where many students walk, it causes a concern, especially if students have been drinking.
“I want to try and turn this into a positive lesson for others,” Tomcsik said. “There’s a lesson to be learned here about driving responsibly. To all drivers, do the right thing and think about the kind of person you want to be.”
The case is still under investigation by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department.
“I know God and my brother were looking over me,” Tomcsik said. “I, and my family, are forever grateful for that and the help from the cars that stopped to help me.”
Though the accident took place under Ottawa County surveillance, the Grand Valley Police Department feels passionately about spreading the word of responsible walking for pedestrians and drivers.
GVSU prides itself on being a pedestrian-friendly campus with crosswalks that identify safe areas for people to walk.
“Though some of these crosswalks may be a little out of the way, they’re worth utilizing so we can continue to keep students and motorists safe and prepared,” said GVPD Capt. Brandon DeHaan.
Additionally, GVPD has approximately 30 to 40 student employees around campus at busy locations to control traffic and help students cross roads in an orderly fashion. These employees are on duty from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
GVPD encourages students to wear bright clothing, walk against the flow of traffic on the shoulder of the road and to be alert even during the day. So far this year, GVSU has had no on-campus pedestrian collisions but the surrounding community is aware of safety precautions.
Though on and off-campus pedestrian safety knowledge is important, students should be aware of reckless drivers, especially on main roads.
If any individual has any information regarding the hit and run, please contact Ottawa County police so that the culprit may be found.
“It’s weird that the world is still moving after the accident,” Tomcsik said. “It’s a shock factor that is hard to get over and live with, I just want the situation to get resolved.”
