A Yale senior is still hospitalized due to injuries she sustained after being hit by a car on Dec. 14, Yale-New Haven Hospital officials said Sunday.
Sonya Bonnin ’06 and Joe Fahrendorf ’06 were hospitalized at Yale-New Haven Hospital after being hit by a green minivan near the rear entrance of Pierson College. Fahrendorf was treated for minor injuries and released the following day, but Bonnin is still recovering from serious leg injuries, hospital officials said.
The minivan, which skidded through the intersection of Edgewood Avenue and Park Street, struck Fahrendorf and pinned Bonnin against a railing close to the back of Pierson College. New Haven Police Officer Craig Dixon said icy road conditions caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The driver remained at the scene of the accident, Yale Police Department Lt. Michael Patten said.
Fahrendorf, who sustained a concussion and several lacerations, said Bonnin took the brunt of the collision’s impact.
“We were both walking on the sidewalk, but she was closer to the street,” he said. “She was hit harder.”
Fahrendorf said he and Sonya were with a large group of students and were headed toward campus when the accident occurred. He said the other students were able to get out of the way of the minivan.
Bonnin declined to comment on the accident or her injuries.
Although he said he cannot remember all the details surrounding the incident, Fahrendorf said Bonnin lost a significant amount of blood because of her leg injuries.
Members of Bonnin’s family said they are confident she will have a successful recovery. Bonnin’s mother, Tito Bonnin, said that although her daughter has spent a significant portion of her winter break at Yale-New Haven, she hopes Sonya will be released soon.
“She’s recovering [at] a slow pace, but she’s getting there,” Tito Bonnin, who declined to release further details, said.
Immediately following the accident, several Pierson students brought blankets and jackets from their rooms to keep Bonnin warm while waiting for the ambulance. In an e-mail to Pierson students on Dec. 18, Pierson College Dean Amerigo Fabbri said he credited the students with helping to save Bonnin’s life.
“[I] wish to express to all of you my most sincere gratitude and praise for the nobility of your spirit in this time of trouble,” Fabbri said.