Pickup truck crashes into college student at Lowell bus stop

Kate Augusto and Matt Collette, Globe Correspondents

A 20-year-old student from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell was seriously injured when she was hit by a pickup truck this morning as she sat on a bench waiting for a university shuttle bus at the intersection of Riverside Street and University Avenue in Lowell, police said.

Rachel Carnes of Haverhill was hit at around 9:45 a.m. by a Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by Jeffery Hoban, 30, of Dracut.

Carnes suffered severe head injuries and was rushed to Lowell General Hospital, then flown to Boston Medical Center, where she is in serious condition, police said. As of late afternoon, she was still in surgery.

State police are assisting Lowell police in an investigation of the crash.

Hoban was treated and released from Saints Memorial Hospital in Lowell. Police are investigating whether a medical condition caused him to drive off the road, but said they would not rule out the possibility that he would be charged with a crime.

"At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with the student and her family in hopes she will recover from her injuries," said Patricia McCafferty, a spokeswoman for the university.

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