Downtown Crash Hospitalizes Penn State Student

A 21-year-old Penn State student was hospitalized early today after he was struck by a State College police cruiser, borough police reported.

Witnesses said Kevin Ignatuk, of Thornton, darted into the pathway of the marked police vehicle at 1:42 a.m., according to a police report. It happened in front of 456 E. Beaver Ave.

The sergeant driving the vehicle was on a routine patrol and not responding to any calls at the time, according to the police report. The cruiser’s headlights were illuminated, the report says.

Ignatuk was taken by Centre LifeLink ambulance to Mount Nittany Medical Center, then flown to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, police said. He was reported to have suffered serious injures.

The 400 block of East Beaver Avenue was closed for about three hours.

Pennsylvania State Police are conducting a traffic-crash reconstruction at the wreck site, according to the police report, signed by borough Police Chief Tom King. State police are handling the crash reconstruction because the incident involved a borough police sergeant; under other circumstances, local authorities would lead the reconstruction.

An investigation is continuing. Police are asking anyone with information to call the state police barracks at (814) 355-7545 or borough police at (814) 234-7150. Anonymous tips may be submitted online at this State College police page.