Student hit by car back on his feet

Friday, February 27, 2009

Zach Kastens, the student taken by helicopter to the University of Kansas Hospital after being struck by a car Wednesday, has been released and is planning to return to classes Monday, he said.

Kastens, Atwood junior, was hit as he crossed the street near the intersection of Crestline and University drives Wednesday afternoon, Lawrence police said. The driver of the car was identified as Kendra Butler, an 18-year-old Washburn University freshman.

Kastens said he didn’t blame Butler for the accident, but rather himself for not paying attention to traffic while on his way to catch a bus to campus. He said he did not plan to press charges.

“It was pretty much my fault,” he said.

Kastens said that, after the collision, he focused more on consoling Butler, who “was freaking out,” than on his own injuries or pain.

“When I landed, I didn’t really feel that bad,” he said. “I just worried about her.”

Kastens was life-flighted because medical personnel at the scene believed he may have suffered head injuries, he said. He has two fractured ribs, cuts on his face and heavy bruising on his left side, but no head injuries. He is expected to recover on his own.

“I have cuts and bruises, but nothing too dire, I guess,” Kastens said.

Kastens received a $130 jaywalking fine for the incident while sitting in the emergency room, he said.

— —Edited by Chris Hickerson

KU student struck by car identified

KU student suffers head injuries from being struck by car.

/news/2009/feb/26/accident/

Superheroes in the sky

Lawrence-based LifeStar swoops in and saves lives.

/news/2010/aug/31/its-bird/

Rising wheat costs affect Lawrence bakeries

The rising price of wheat has taken its toll on bakeries and ...

/news/2008/nov/06/rising_wheat_costs_affect_lawrence_bakeries/

Injured fraternity pledge released from hospital

Matthew Fritzie was released from the University of Kansas Hospital on Monday.

/news/2010/sep/29/injured-fraternity-pledge-released-hospital/

New Web database replaces Spanish books

200-level Spanish students replace printed texts with a cheaper, more interactive alternative.

/news/2009/oct/06/database/

Student reportedly carjacked, abducted in Kansas City ...

An Overland Park sophomore was allegedly carjacked and abducted early Sunday morning, ...

/news/2007/jul/16/student_reportedly_carjacked_abducted_kansas_city_/

Malicious Intimacy

Four students' experiences with domestic violence.

/news/2011/may/04/malicious-intimacy/

Lawrence sees surge of crime Friday night

Police responded to calls related to a knife fight, a high-speed car ...

/news/2009/mar/07/crime/

Two men hospitalized after stabbing; other crimes ...

Man arrested after car chase, and sexual assault leads to another arrest ...

/news/2009/mar/09/crime/

Sales of the death men (part 3)

Morticians must learn to separate their work with the dead from the ...

/news/2010/apr/22/sales-death-men-part-3/

Drive-by shooting suspect had prior record

Joseph Abdullah Muhammad appeared in court Friday and was charged with three ...

/news/2009/mar/26/shooting/

A face-smashing good time

Popularized by pay-per-view fights on cable and satellite television, and banned in ...

/news/2007/oct/24/facesmashing_good_time/

Dying for change

An autoimmune disease is killing Jon Lane. Two months ago, Jon, a ...

/news/2008/dec/11/dying_change/

Overworked students' dangerous race against time

Is too much work and too little time putting students' health at ...

/news/2011/apr/28/time-not-our-side/

Two pedestrians injured near campus

Two pedestrian-versus-vehicle accidents near campus Wednesday sent two students to area hospitals.

/news/2009/sep/10/two_pedestrians_injured_near_campus/

Accident leaves one seriously injured

University of Kansas student Daniel Tuttle was flown to the University of ...

/news/2007/aug/23/wreck/

Greensburg natives cope with disaster

After news of the devastating tornado reached them, students from Greensburg made ...

/news/2007/may/07/greensburg/

Lawrence junior dies in accident

University mourns Kara Morgan, who died after a car crash on Kansas ...

/news/2009/sep/15/accident/

Student reported safe after alleged abduction

Student reported abducted by two males in Overland Park area.

/news/2007/jul/18/student_reported_safe_after_alleged_abduction/

Professor hospitalized after beating

KU professor Paul Mirecki was hospitalized Monday morning after two men beat ...

/news/2005/dec/06/mirecki/

Injured student released from hospital

The junior suffered non-life threatening injuries from the accident in the Marvin ...

/news/2009/dec/10/injured-hand-student/

For the love of the game

Several one-time KU basketball players have missed out on the riches of ...

/news/2008/apr/28/love_game/

Major League umpire provides inspiration

Major League Umpire Steve Palermo was living his dream until an act ...

/news/2007/sep/25/major_league_umpire_provides_inspiration/

Brawl erupts at Abe and Jake's

/news/2005/aug/28/brawl/

The Gift of Life

/news/2005/may/05/news_campus_organs/

One student injured, another killed in two-car ...

One dead, one injured on K-10.

/news/2008/oct/24/one_student_injured_another_killed_twocar_collisio/

Football players bounce back from injuries

Kendrick Harper and Dexton Fields are expected to play against Iowa State ...

/news/2008/oct/01/football/

Father calls for change after son's death

Jay Wren says both fraternity environment and his son are partially to ...

/news/2009/mar/11/father_change/

A staggering tragedy

Friends and family look for answers while struggling to cope with an ...

/news/2009/apr/28/staggering_tragedy/

Kansas athletes involved in Saturday night fight

/news/2005/aug/29/abeandjakes/

FIJI faces hazing investigation for injury

The University placed Phi Gamma Delta fraternity under interim suspension after a ...

/news/2010/sep/26/fiji-faces-hazing-investigation-injury/

Student injured at fraternity party files suit

Matt Fritzie has filed a damages suit against Phi Gamma Delta after ...

/news/2011/jan/03/student-injured-fraternity-party-files-suit/

Two fight participants released from hospital

Two Lawrence men involved in a fight outside Liquid Bar, 804 W. ...

/news/2006/oct/13/liquid_fight/

Quarterback's injury not keeping him down

Kale Pick played with a broken fibula for the majority of the ...

/news/2010/sep/28/picks-broken-fibula-not-keeping-him-down/

New plan lowers course requirements

“Bold Aspirations” plan will make double-majoring easier and encourage involvement.

/news/2011/sep/14/strategic-plan/

Price’s graduation marks end of family playing ...

Robby or one of his brothers has been a baseball starter since ...

/news/2010/may/06/prices-graduation/

Player sues for Title IX violation

Former football sues University for not letting him play another year of ...

/news/2006/aug/17/butler/

Student involved in rollover accident

Van collides with student’s Mustang at the intersection of 12th and Kentucky ...

/news/2009/feb/11/student_rollover/

Witness to death of student testifies

Dwayane Duncan describes collision during preliminary hearing of Steven Kyle Cummins.

/news/2009/apr/17/hearing/

Foes and friends, Kansas seniors have shared ...

Kansan baseball players Erik Morrison and Ryne Price have a long history ...

/news/2008/may/06/foes_and_friends_kansas_seniors_have_grown_sharing/

Student hit by car back on his feet

Kastens is very lucky, that car looked totally torn up in the front. Let's just hope that he doesn't have to pay for repairs as well as the ticket. How do you feel as a police office handing out a ticket to someone in the emergency room? Pretty low, I would think. Who among us has not jaywalked from time to time rather than go halfway down the block, cross, go back halfway up the block. I can understand how in that situation he had tunnel vision and saw only the bus. I don't think he should have to pay that ticket!

Student hit by car back on his feet

Considering what coulda happened, I bet he's perfectly OK with paying the fine.