Woman seriously hurt when hit by tow truck 17th Street in Bloomington

A Bloomington woman was seriously hurt Wednesday night when she apparently stepped into the path of a westbound tow truck on West 17th Street.

The 23-year-old was taken to IU Health Bloomington Hospital after the 10:25 p.m. accident near the intersection of West 17th Street and North College Avenue. She had injuries to the midsection of her body and left side of her head and was listed in stable condition.

Minutes before the woman was struck, a 911 caller reported a naked female at the corner yelling and causing a disturbance. While officers were on the way, another caller said the woman had run into the roadway and been hit by a vehicle.

She was found lying on her back in the road, where officers stabilized her and applied first aid to help lessen bleeding from her injuries until medics arrived, Bloomington Police Department Capt. Ryan Pedigo said.

Bystanders said the woman had been “acting like she was going to jump into traffic,” a police report on the accident said. An employee of the Circle K gas station at the intersection said 10 minutes before the incident, she had talked to the woman, who was clothed, and calmed her down.

Police later found the woman’s clothing nearby on the sidewalk. Seventeenth Street west of College Avenue was closed temporarily for accident reconstruction, Pedigo said.

The 43-year-old driver of the 2022 Dodge Ram 4500 tow truck told police he didn't see the woman before hearing the impact. He pulled over after the collision, was cooperative and submitted to a blood draw, Pedigo said, which is standard procedure in accidents involving serious injury.

Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at [email protected] or 812-318-5967.

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