An 18-year-old college student is fighting for her life in the hospital after a dirt bike collision in Albany, N.Y.
On early Saturday, April 27, around 12:01 a.m., police responded to an incident on Hudson Avenue’s 400 block where they discovered the victim in the street suffering from severe head trauma and a broken leg, as confirmed by the Albany Police Department via a Facebook post.
According to reports from CBS affiliate WRGB, NBC affiliate WYNT, and the Times Union, the victim was identified as Alexa Kropf, a University at Albany student from Long Island.
Emergency medical teams provided initial treatment at the scene before she was rushed to Albany Medical Center Hospital. WYNT reports that the freshman is now in a medically-induced coma.
“Subsequent investigations revealed that multiple witnesses saw a male recklessly speeding on an illegal dirt bike, dodging between groups on the street,” Albany Police detailed in a Facebook update.
“The driver was moving so fast that when he hit the victim, she was catapulted into the air, landing several feet away from where she was struck. The assailant then fled the scene,” the police added in their statement.
The University at Albany has not yet issued a response following inquiries from Scottish Policy Now, and Albany Police have declined to comment further.
A GoFundMe campaign to support the victim and her family has already garnered over $56,000.
“The situation is very critical, almost minute to minute, not just day by day. As a parent, it’s extremely distressing. It’s the kind of phone call you never want to get,” stated Alexa’s father, Jim, according to WRGB.
“He detailed her injuries, including two broken bones in her lower right leg, compound fractures, pelvic fractures requiring surgery, two brain surgeries to relieve pressure and bleeding, as well as broken ribs and bruised lungs,” Jim further explained, as reported by the news outlet.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Police Chief Eric Hawkins made a joint statement on the mayor’s Facebook page.
“We are profoundly disturbed by the heinous actions of the dirt bike rider who critically injured an 18-year-old woman earlier today in Pine Hills. Our hearts go out to the victim and her family during this challenging time,” they stated.
“The initial findings clearly show that the individual used an illegal vehicle to inflict harm on innocent people. We strongly encourage anyone with details about the culprit of this atrocious act to come forward and speak with law enforcement,” they continued.
The mayor’s post reminded the public that “riding off-road vehicles, like ATVs and dirt bikes, on any street, sidewalk, or public park in Albany is illegal, according to Local Law E of 2021, which also raises repossession fees and fines for illegal use to $3,000 per violation.”
Scottish Policy Now has sought further statements from the mayor’s office, but there has been no immediate response.
