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U student injured in fatal hit-and-run in Rochester

Alcohol was likely involved with the crash.

A University of Minnesota student was injured in one of two fatal hit-and-run incidents in Rochester over the weekend.

Chemical engineering senior Chris Glenski of Rochester is in critical condition and will undergo surgery this week.

On Friday evening, a Honda Civic ran a red light where Glenski, 22, and his friends had the right of way. The group of eight was out barhopping prior to the accident, Glenski said.

The car was traveling well over the speed limit of 30 mph, Glenski said.

One of GlenskiâÄôs friends, a 23-year-old from Rochester who graduated from Winona State University, was struck head-on by the vehicle “right behind” Glenski and died a short time later at a local hospital.

Glenski, who was “crumpled” over by the car, suffered several fractures in his legs, a broken right arm and other injuries.

“IâÄôm really good mentally. I feel like Two-Face,” he said. “IâÄôm left-handed and the entire left side of my body is perfectly fine âÄî I can play piano if I wanted to, if I could.”

The driver fled the scene following the incident with Glenski and hit two more pedestrians four blocks away. The Rochester residents in those incidents, a 23-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, are both in critical condition.

The alleged driver of the vehicle, 32-year-old Christopher Trautman, hit a light post after hitting the second group of people and then fled on foot.

He was caught a short time later, said Sgt. Tom Faudskar of the Rochester Police Department.

“Alcohol use is suspected as a factor in the crash,” Faudskar said.

Glenski spent the rest of the weekend with friends and family in the hospital. He does not know when he will be back in school, but he said he is otherwise well.

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