SWAMPSCOTT — A pedestrian leaving a church meeting was struck in a crosswalk on Humphrey Street Monday night.
A Swampscott resident was crossing the road in front of the St. John the Evangelist church near 174 Humphrey St., shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday, when he was struck by a car, said Police Sgt. Jay Locke.
When first responders from the Fire and Police departments and Atlantic Ambulance arrived at the scene, they found the man bleeding on the ground. He was taken to Salem Hospital with shoulder and leg injuries and underwent surgery on Tuesday, Locke said.
Several people who were standing in front of the church and witnessed the hit-and-run crash told police that the man was struck toward the middle of the crosswalk. A vehicle headed toward Marblehead stopped to let him cross, but a silver Ford Explorer traveling to Lynn did not. The Explorer hit the man and sped away from the scene, Locke said.
A black taxi that was behind the Explorer followed it. Shortly after, dispatchers received a 911 call, notifying police of the license-plate number for the Explorer.
“The plate came back to a resident of Lynn,” said Locke.
Swampscott Police shared the information with the Lynn Police Department. About an hour after the crash, the vehicle reportedly came back to the address of registration.
Swampscott and Lynn police went to the house of the potential driver of the silver Ford Explorer and found a 21-year-old man outside on foot.
He was questioned by police officers and said that he did not recall striking anyone. However, the officers found damage on the vehicle that corresponded to the nature of the accident.
The Lynn resident was charged with speeding, marked lanes violation, crosswalk violation, leaving the scene of an accident with a personal injury, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. A case against him was filed in Lynn District Court on Tuesday, Locke said.
An immediate-threat complaint was also filed with the Registry of Motor Vehicles for improper operation of the motor vehicle resulting in the offender’s driver’s license being revoked until the date of the hearing at the RMV, which will determine his status for future driving.
“There has been some road work going on to add bump-outs to crosswalks but in this particular area drivers are coming in both directions over a rise and we had numerous incidents of people being struck,” said Locke.
The line of sight is bad in that part of the road and there should be a traffic light or more signage and flashlights to mark the crosswalk, Locke said.
The crash will be reported to the town’s Traffic Study Advisory Committee.
