Princeton Man, 74, in critical condition after being struck by teen driver

A 74-year-old Princeton man is in critical condition after being struck by a teen driver just after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

As of Wednesday evening, the victim, Hin Chin, was still hospitalized due to the serious injuries he suffered when he was hit by a 17-year-old who was driving a 2012 gray Honda Odyssey.

Hin Chin was walking east on Wiggins Street, reportedly using a walker, when the teen, who was traveling west on Wiggins in the Odyssey, made a left turn onto Sylvia Beach Way, the driveway behind the Princeton Public Library that connects to the Spring Street Garage. As the teen made the turn, the Odyssey struck Hin Chin, causing him to suffer a head injury.

Emergency medical technicians from West Windsor and paramedics from Capital Health arrived at the scene and determined that Hin Chin required immediate transport to a hospital via helicopter.

A medical transport helicopter landed at Princeton High School and transported Hin Chin to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton without incident. He was taken there because Capital Health Regional Medical Center is a Level 2 trauma center. Level 2 trauma centers provide 24-hour coverage by general surgeons, as well as specialists in orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, and critical care.

The Princeton Police Department Traffic Safety Bureau and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office are actively investigating the crash. Anyone who witnessed the incident should call Princeton Patrol Officer Jonathan Myzie at (609) 921-2100, ext. 1875.

Police are not releasing the identity of the juvenile driver because the driver is a minor.

Princeton Public Schools officials issued three statements to parents, teachers, and staff in emails Tuesday. In the first email, sent just before 5 p.m., Interim Superintendent of Schools Kathie Foster informed the community that there was a motor vehicle accident near the Princeton Public Library.

“No Princeton Public Schools students or staff members were involved in the accident. A helicopter did land at the high school to transport an injured individual to a local hospital,” she wrote. “We were informed that students may have witnessed the accident. If your child(ren) did witness the event, please know that our team of school counselors will be readily available for anyone who needs to process what they saw.”

At 5 p.m. Tuesday, Princeton High School Principal Cecilia Birge sent an email as well.

“At approximately 3:50 p.m., PHS was informed of a serious car accident near Princeton Public Library. One individual sustained severe injuries, and emergency medical services requested a state trooper medevac to land on our practice field to transport the injured person to a trauma center for critical care,” Birge wrote.

“I am grateful to our athletes and coaches, who immediately stepped up to clear both the practice field and the turf, ensuring a safe landing space for the medevac. By 4:20 p.m., the entire operation was over,” Birge wrote. “We recognize the emotional impact such events may have on our students. Please know counselors will be available tomorrow to provide support to students when we return to school. Please encourage your student to reach out to them if they would like to talk about this incident. Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with the injured individual and their family.”

Just before 7:30 p.m., Foster issued a correction to her previous email, saying two Princeton High School students were involved in the incident but were not injured.

“I am writing to share updated information that has come from the Princeton police concerning this afternoon’s accident near Princeton Public Library. It appears that two PHS students were involved in the accident. Neither were hurt,” Foster wrote.

“Given the circumstances, we cannot and should not speculate about what happened at the scene. Police are investigating. Our hearts go out to the individual who was injured in the incident, along with our wishes for their recovery. As a community, we recognize that this event is traumatic for all involved. We must extend our care to the students, their families, and friends,” Foster wrote. “Our counselors will be available to any student who needs support in the next few days. If the police provide further information that may be shared with the community, we will update you.”