TEMPE, Ariz. — An Arizona State University freshman is currently fighting for his life after being run over by a truck in Tempe over the weekend.
David McCurdy, 19, was on the sidewalk with a friend near Apache Boulevard and Rural Road when a Ford F-150 made a wide left turn and hit them.
“David was hit in the back and has spinal cord injuries,” said Nicolas Khonaysser, a friend who is speaking on behalf of the family. “He went flying and hit a metal pole with his head.”
Surveillance video captured the incident. It shows the truck going off of the roadway, onto the sidewalk and speeding up away from the scene after injuring the students. Bystanders can also be seen running to help.
McCurdy was hit the hardest. He is currently in a medically induced coma for 48-hours as doctors run tests to see “if he has signs of response in life,” Khonaysser said.
Tempe police said the 39-year-old Mesa driver fled the scene, but he was later arrested on a warrant from an unrelated incident in which authorities say the man was suspected of driving under the influence.
He was later identified as Sheldon Whitebird.
The other student that was also hit sustained a broken collarbone and multiple torn ligaments in his right knee, according to a GoFundMe page set up with his medical bills.
McCurdy is studying finance at ASU. During his first year, he has been heavily involved at his fraternity Kappa Alpha Order. He recently helped raise $10,000 for muscular dystrophy research.
“Just to see how eager he was to help and raise money for causes, I think is the reason why people have reached out so much to raise funds now sadly now for his cause,” said Khonaysser.
Right after the incident, the fraternity brother set up a GoFundMe account to help with McCurdy’s medical expenses. And his family is grateful for the help.
“[His dad] started bawling and said, 'I don’t know if my son is going to live, but thank you so much,'” Khonaysser added.
McCurdy has successfully undergone two surgeries to remove pressure from his brain and has eight different breaks along his back, neck and spine.
Even though the road to recovery is long, family and friends remain hopeful for a positive outcome.
“I definitely think David is going to make it and I think his parents feel the same way,” Khonaysser said.