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By Melanie Klein
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 18, 1996
The Associated Students Safe Ride van was involved in a hit-and-run accident Wednesday night while in route to the Arizona Health Sciences Library with five students on board.At 8:14 p.m., a black and red motorcycle collided with the 1995 Ford Arrowstar as it attempted to pass the van on the right side at North Park Avenue and East Adams Street.
The five students riding in a van were not injured as a result of the collision. The van sustained scuff marks where it was struck.
Jacques LaMontagne, student volunteer driver for the Escort Services, said the collission "felt like a bump."
He and the man operating the motorcycle then pulled onto Adams.
LaMontagne, an undeclared junior, said he checked to make sure the four passengers in the van were not injured, then used his radio to call Escort Services and inform the dispatcher that he was involved in an accident.
LaMontagne and one of the other students then left the van and approached the male on the motorcycle. He said the motorcyclist did not take off his helmet and did not appear to be injured.
The motorcyclist suggested that the two of them forget the matter since his motorcycle was not badly damaged, LaMontagne said. But LaMontagne said he could not do that because the van is a state vehicle.
Because the van was blocking traffic, LaMontague went to move it, but as he did so, the motorcyclist drove off.
"I was going to follow him, but he was just too quick," LaMontagne said.
Tim Walker, director of Escort Services, said, "I don't know what else could have been done. Jacques handled the situation with incredible calmness."
When the collision occurred, the Safe Ride service had given rides to 60 students that evening, Walker said. He said when finished at 1 a.m., the service had escorted a total of 113 students to their destinations around the campus perimeters.
"We have proven we can handle a crisis situation and still continue to provide service," he said.
Escort Services is awaiting the Tucson Police Department's official police report, expected today, before they can pursue repairs for the van. The van is still in operation.
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