Man charged after State College hit-and-run that seriously injured Penn State student
A man was under the influence of marijuana when he struck and seriously injured a Penn State student two months ago in a State College crosswalk, borough police said in an affidavit of probable cause released Thursday.
Noah J. Keister, 19, of Lycoming County, failed to yield and made no attempt to stop or avoid the crash, officers wrote in the affidavit. After approaching the student, police said Keister told them he fled because he was “scared he would get into trouble.”
Blood test results showed Keister tested positive for THC, the compound that gives pot its high. A preliminary breath test indicated his blood alcohol content was 0.012%, below the legal limit of 0.02% for someone younger than 21.
A voicemail left Thursday afternoon with defense attorney Gregory Jackson was not immediately returned. Keister is charged with three felonies, including counts of aggravated assault be vehicle while DUI and accidents involving personal injury.
Keister struck the 21-year-old student about 12:35 a.m. May 1 at the intersection of West Beaver Avenue and South Gill Street, police wrote. He was driving a 2009 Mazda 6.
There are marked crosswalks on each side of the intersection and police said there was no precipitation or other weather conditions that would have limited a driver’s visibility.
Witnesses told officers they saw a man with blood on his hands step away from the student, return to his sedan and turn onto South Atherton Street. He did not return, police wrote.
Officers identified the vehicle’s registration plate by reviewing the borough’s nearby traffic cameras, leading them to the Keister family. Noah Keister’s older brother told police he gave his sibling alcohol prior to him driving and that the younger Keister also uses a marijuana dab pen.
No other charges have been filed in connection with the crash.
His brother also showed officers text messages between the two of them. At about 2:30 a.m., police said Noah Keister texted his brother he hit a deer, damaged the vehicle and made it back home to Montgomery.
State police at Montoursville located the Mazda and the younger Keister at his residence. Troopers said he admitted to hitting a pedestrian, checking on him and fleeing after realizing he was severely injured.
The student had serious injuries to his head and right leg and was flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Williamsport, police wrote. Officers did not describe the injuries further. There were no marks on the road that indicated emergency braking or evasive maneuvering, police wrote.
In addition to the felonies, he’s also facing misdemeanor counts of DUI and three summary traffic violations. He was arraigned Thursday by District Judge Steven Lachman, who set bail at $25,000 unsecured. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 15.
There were 15 serious pedestrian crashes during the past decade in State College, by far the most of any municipality in Centre County. Bellefonte was second with seven.