A pregnant Provo student was hit by a car while crossing the street around noon Tuesday, March 7, 2006, hurling her about 40 feet from the crosswalk with a possible broken hip and other injuries, said officer Russ Billings of the Provo Police Department.

Ashley Erb, 22, was holding a bright orange reflective flag as she and a friend crossed the street at 520 N. 900 East on their way to the Crest gas station, on break from class at Paul Mitchell. Erb was struck by a Chevy Avalanche driven by Martin Solosabal, 50.

One of the cashiers at the Crest convenience store, Megan Gileadi, said she heard the accident and saw Erb's sandals flying in the air.

Orange spray paint at the scene outlines the truck about 10 feet from the crosswalk, the reflective flag 20 feet from that, and the outline of where Erb lay - now surrounded with crushed potato chips and a pool of blood - about 10 feet farther.

Erb, who is five-months pregnant, was rushed to the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, where she is being treated for broken bones, road ras, and other wounds. According to Billings, the accident did not hurt the baby.

Billings said there is no evidence that Solosabal was speeding.

"It was just an unfortunate accident," Billings said, adding that alcohol was also not a factor.

Solosabal was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

(For comments, e-mail John Hyde at johnhyde@byu.net)

Copyright Brigham Young University 8 Mar 2006