A University of Minnesota student is recovering at Hennepin County Medical Center after being run over by a car while crossing the Fourth Street Southeast Bridge over Interstate 35W on Monday night.
Stephanie Werner, a statistics junior, was on her way to Dinkytown for a friendâÄôs birthday party at about 9 p.m. when a white sedan knocked her to the ground and ran over her calves, breaking the bone in one leg.
âÄúLast night when they reset the bone was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt,âÄù Werner said. âÄúI didnâÄôt feel a whole lot during the accident itself.âÄù
According to WernerâÄôs boyfriend, Erik Jessen, who was with her at the time of the accident, the sedan pulled up to the light and stopped when the couple was presented the walk sign. As they entered the crosswalk, the driver hit the gas, Jessen said. He was able to get out of the way and thought Werner did as well until he heard the car roll over her legs.
âÄúShe definitely knew she hit me, and IâÄôm sure she could feel it as well,âÄù Werner said of the female driver, adding that she made eye contact with the driver as she rolled along the driverâÄôs side of the car.
After the accident, the driver stopped briefly before taking off, Jessen said.
Werner said she is âÄúdoing decentâÄù after her surgery this morning and is expected to spend a few more days at HCMC recovering.
Quarter machine heist
An arcade thief made off with less than the usual bounty Thursday night at the Stadium Village Leaning Tower of Pizza.
Thirty minutes after stealthily entering the restaurant, tools in hand, the shadowy figure re-emerged on videotape footage with about $50 worth of small bills and quarters from the restaurantâÄôs arcade games.
Minneapolis police Sgt. Steve McCarty said quick cash grabs are pretty common. âÄúThis happens for whatever reason. A lot of times people just want cash.âÄù
Neither police nor restaurant management is sure just how the thief got in, but once inside, he or she used bolt cutters to clip the locks off three of the restaurantâÄôs arcade machines before fleeing.
Police currently have no suspects but think the case could be an inside job because it is unusual for a thief to quickly get into a business without force.
âÄúThatâÄôs pretty silly,âÄù said Leaning TowerâÄôs manager Jason Hollmon, âÄúbecause if it were an inside job there would have been a lot more taken.âÄù
While the restaurantâÄôs money is kept overnight in the safe, Hollmon pointed to the expensive liquor at the bar as one of many things more valuable than the $40 or $50 dollars the bandit got.
âÄúI guess they really needed to do some laundry,âÄù Hollmon said.