Campus Hit-And-Run Incidents on the Rise Lists of Times When the Opposing Team Can and Cannot Be on the Field

Wednesday, September 18, 2019 INSIDE: n Nicaraguan musician Luis Godoy performs on campus and showcases art, book Page 2 n ‘IT Chapter Two’ The clown strikes back review Page 4 n Editorial discusses holding peers accountable Page 5 n Thomas Hutchings receives scholarship Page 6 Students recall unsafe encounters at Neighborhood Walmart Multiple female students share stories about unsafe encounters in parking lot Photo by Christy Murray / The Pine Log Kaitlyn Hall, senior theatre major from Rowlett has had a bruise on her nose since the incident. She said her injury is now healing. LMB student elbowed in face by Tarleton coach By Gracie Porter Staff Writer During the Sept. 7 home football game against Tarleton, one of the Lumberjack Marching Band piccolo players was elbowed in the face by the opposing team’s Quality Control Coach, Ben Seifert. The victim, Kaitlyn “Kitty” Hall, a senior theatre major from Rowlett, sustained a bruised nose yet remained committed to performing for the Lumberjack fans. Photo by Kayleigh East / The Pine Log “In the LMB we have a saying – know your job, The Neighborhood Walmart located on University Drive has attracted a reputation of being unsafe for female students. Many women have stories about do your job,” Hall said. “My job always was and the grocery store, but only three students were willing to share their experiences. always will be to support my Lumberjacks and mesmerize my fans. I couldn’t play, but I was By Raquel Torres at me and kept saying, ‘This is “It was basically scripted. It She said the police said they were was by the grace of God that I going to patrol the area. Public going to march. I was going to finish that show no Editor-in-Chief so embarrassing. Our car won’t matter what.” start and we need help.’” didn’t have a shopping cart with information officer, Sgt. Brett The Tarleton coach had remained on the field On Sept. 8, SFA student Emma She said she ignored him as me, that I turned my car on and Ayers said there is no record of during both of the halftime performances, telling Glaser experienced what she said she kept walking to her car when got out of there as fast as I did.” the incident being called in or the LMB to go around him. The incident was was the “scariest experience of the woman approached her. In her post, she concluded by reported by name or by location. filmed from multiple sources, showcasing when [her] life,” at the Neighborhood “I got to my car and literally giving a precaution for everyone “If something did occur and Seifert moved his elbow, which collided with Walmart located on University the woman was like two feet to choose when they go to she hasn’t reported something Hall’s face. Drive in Nacogdoches. away and kept saying, ‘Please Walmart wisely. to us, I would highly encourage After the incident, the piccolo section took Hall According to a Facebook post help us, please help us.’” “Never go to Walmart by anyone that speaks to her to to the MLB director, Dr. Tamey Anglley, to get made by Glaser on the night of Glaser closed the door to yourself or at night,” Glaser said. let her know so that we can be her ice for her bruise and to explain the situation the incident, she said she was her car and locked it before the “It sucks to be a girl and have to aware of it and we can look into to Athletic Director Ryan Ivey. The SFA athletic walking to her car when she woman reached her car. worry about this, but this is real it,” Ayers said. directors worked to handle the situation, and the saw a middle-aged black man “As I was turning on my car, and happens when you wouldn’t Glaser is not the first student Tarleton athletic directors have reached out to standing by a car parked next she was hitting my window expect it. I just wanted to post to have such experiences at Hall, as well. Anglley commended the handling to hers. saying, ‘I’m harmless, I’m this so girls in the area, and the Neighborhood Walmart. of the situation from both the students and the “As soon as I walked out with harmless, please help me.’” anywhere, honestly, are safe and Rahaf Shawakfeh, junior athletic department. my groceries, he saw me and Glaser said. “I tried to pull out as don’t make the mistake I did. I’m communication, sciences and “In the moment, I thought [Hall] did the best nodded to the lady he was with, so fast as I could without hitting her so lucky that I got out of there disorders major from Pineland, she possibly could,” Anglley said. “It was that we she would notice I was coming,” and got out of there.” fast and that I’m safe.” said her experience happened were able to handle that in a very calm manner Glaser said in the Facebook According to the post, Glaser Glaser updated the post to say back in February around and that nothing physical came out of that. And post. “I started walking really knew what was happening as soon that she called the police and Valentine’s Day. fast to my car. He was looking as she walked out of Walmart. informed them of the situation. then, Ryan Ivey went to bat for us immediately on ENCOUNTERS Page 3 Sunday. As soon as he saw the videos, [he] was on See on the phone all day Sunday and all day Monday with the athletic director from Tarleton. Our athletic department absolutely handled it top notch.” After being reported to Ivey, a conversation was started to handle the situation on both sides. The SFA athletic department, as Ivey explained, has Campus hit-and-run incidents on the rise lists of times when the opposing team can and cannot be on the field. This schedule is one that usually prevents these incidents from occurring, By Jocelyn Bradford owner, information should which makes the circumstances around the Contributing Writer be left in a conspicuous and collision undefined. After 32 hit and run securely attached place on Because the incident was documented, it was incidents have happened the vehicle with a statement easy to open an investigation about the situation. on campus since January of the circumstances of the Ivey plans to help with it as much as possible. Both with eight reported so far collision. teams’ athletic departments have been working this semester, the University Assistant Chief of Police to prevent similar situations from happening. Police Department is advising Craig Goodman said most “We were able to manage it and get through it students to do the right incidents go unreported in a very collaborative manner moving forward,” thing and report incidents to because of fear. Ivey said. potentially avoid fines and jail “I think [students] just Hall said the support received on social media time. panic. I think they hit [a car] has been appreciated, but the situation has also A hit and run is defined and they’re surprised that been under a magnifying glass since the collision as striking an unattended they backed into it. Maybe occurred. vehicle with a failure to stop they stop and get out and say, According to Hall, the amount of people and give information. ‘Oh no big deal, I think it’s reacting to the situation without knowing all Lt. Marcus Madden of UPD okay to leave,’ and it’s not,” the facts has been aggravated by the multiple said FSGI hit and runs are Goodman said. “If there’s any videos of the incident being placed online, even the most common offense amount of damage, they are prompting members of the community to leak the committed on campus. required by law to exchange Tarleton coach’s email to the public. “You have failure to comply information.” With this onslaught of criticism and concern, with duties on striking an Another reason students Hall has still been able to find positive support and unattended vehicle. Maybe the do not report these incidents love from both sides of the situation. However, the person was backing out and is because they cannot find support she has received from the SFA community backed into the car. Instead of the owner. Goodman said has been the closest to her heart. making a reasonable effort to they can always contact the “I’ve had SFA students, current and alumni, locate the owner of the vehicle, police department for help. across the nation reach out to me to check on they just left,” Madden said. According to Madden, there me and tell me how proud they are of me for “That’s the most common is always a way to leave handling this situation,” Hall said. “So, the instance that we have on information to report the associate athletic director reached out to me campus.” incident. she told me how proud she was of me for how According to the “Let’s say you can’t find I handled everything. And it’s these kinds of Transportation Code, when an them,” Madden said. “It’s in a interactions when somebody is going through incident occurs, the operator parking garage, you have no something so hard and the SFA community is of the vehicle that caused idea where this person is. It’s full of love and support that remind me why I’m the damage must locate the perfectly legal to leave a note so proud to be a Lumberjack in the first place.” operator or owner of the on the windshield.” Hall would like to confirm that she is feeling damaged vehicle to give that Unreported incidents cost much better more than a week after the incident, person his or her name and violators more in the long run.

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