GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) — A Krishna House box truck struck a 19-year-old University of Florida student near a crosswalk on Buckman Drive last week, prompting the university to suspend the organization’s on-campus lunch services until further notice. A lawsuit has since been filed against Krishna House and the driver.
Bob Cohen, senior advisor for Krishna House, said the driver remains distraught and is in counseling. The student is expected to survive, according to Gainesville Police Department officials, who said they are no longer monitoring her condition. She has been moved from the ICU to a regular room.
“We’re very sad that someone got hurt by our truck,” Cohen said. “We’ve had prayer sessions and all good wishes for her recovery.”
UF officials suspended Krishna House’s right to operate on campus based on a memorandum of understanding signed last year — the first such agreement in the organization’s 55-year presence on campus.
“After 55 years of being on campus, we finally set up a memorandum of understanding, which was signed just last year,” Cohen said. “And based on the memorandum, they suspended our right to be on campus, which of course we have to respect.”
Cohen said the organization hopes to negotiate with campus officials and has asked for clarification on the length of the suspension. As of the report, they had not received a response.
Cohen said Krishna House was already in the process of transitioning from box trucks to electric carts due to concerns about operating large vehicles in pedestrian-heavy areas. He said the shipment of electric carts is taking longer than expected.
While on-campus lunch is suspended, the organization is continuing to serve food from the back porch of Krishna House, located on Northwest 14th Street.
“We feel horrible that it was our truck that was there,” Cohen said. “As far as responsibility goes, that’s a legal question, but as far as personal responsibility, we feel morally obligated if we ever hurt somebody, we really feel bad about it.”
A new sign reading “Watch for Pedestrians” has been posted on Buckman Drive near where the accident occurred.
TV20 reached out to representatives with the University of Florida for clarity on the suspension and the future of Krishna Lunch on campus; however, officials declined to comment at this time.
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