Elderly couple hit by student

By Christina L. Esparza
Daily Forty-Niner

An elderly couple walking across a non-designated walking area was struck by a Cal State Long Beach student driving east on Atherton Street in front of the Carpenter Performing Arts Center Sunday.

Mary and John Halquist of East Long Beach both sustained injuries in the accident. Mary, 66, suffered head trauma and is being treated in the intensive care unit at the Long Beach Memorial Hospital, said Officer Jana Blair, a spokeswoman for the Long Beach Police Department. John, 73, sustained a broken ankle and ribs.

The 20-year-old driver, who's name is being withheld, was not found at fault, Blair said. The couple was not crossing at a designated crosswalk and the driver was not driving above the speed limit. Witnesses report that the driver tried to avoid the accident, Blair said.

The driver said the lighting on the street was poor and he could not stop when he saw them. The witnesses' statements concur, Blair said. The driver will not be brought up on charges or issued a citation; however, the accident is still under investigation.