Car hits UMaine student crossing College Avenue

ORONO – A 20-year-old University of Maine student was injured Wednesday evening when he was struck by a car as he crossed College Avenue.

Matthew Paterson still was being evaluated late Wednesday night at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, according to a hospital nursing supervisor. But Orono police were told that Paterson was X-rayed and that there were no indications of broken bones, although he suffered bumps and bruises.

Paterson was crossing College Avenue from the main part of the campus near Sebec Road to his Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house across College Avenue. Wayne Smith, 37, of Cherryfield, also a student, was driving from Old Town and heading toward Park Street when his car struck Paterson, according to police.

Smith said he was driving along watching the road when Paterson suddenly was in his car’s path, reported Sgt. Scott Scripture, who is assisting Officer Wilfred King in the investigation of the accident.

Paterson said he was in the crosswalk at the time.

The accident still is under investigation, although police noted that at 6:30 p.m. – the time of the accident – it was dark and raining steadily. Paterson was wearing dark clothing. Alcohol is not considered a factor, according to police, who administered an Intoxilyzer test on Smith as a routine procedure.