A 20-year-old Illinois State University student critically injured in a hit-and-run has died after being taken off life support.
"Tragedies like this remind us that life is precious and that we rely on each other for support," said university spokesman Larry Dietz.
Benjamin Allison of Crystal Lake was hit by a vehicle while crossing an intersection near campus Saturday morning. A university official told NBC station WEEK-TV in Peoria that Allison had just said goodbye to his girlfriend at an apartment complex and was crossing the road when he was struck by a car allegedly driven by 21-year-old Joshua M. Dunn.
Allison majored in communications at ISU and was a staff member at the radio station where he made commercials, worked as a traffic director and acted as a disc jockey.
"It was terrible. It was terrible when we heard it was one of our own students," said School of Communications Director Steve Hunt. "You don't want something like this to happen to anybody, but when it hits this home, give that we are all so close, it's just a sickening feeling. I can't even express how we felt this weekend."
His former varsity hockey coach at Crystal Lake South High School said he was a likable guy who always had a smile on his face.
The university made counseling sessions available to students. His organs will be donated, a university spokesperson told WEEK.
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Police said Dunn was charged Saturday afternoon with drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury.
It wasn't immediately clear if Dunn had an attorney.
