Student taken to Robinson Memorial Hospital after late-night car accident

A car accident involving Kent State students is still under investigation.

Rosemarie Mosher, Kent Police Department dispatcher, said Abdulaziz Binkhnain, sophomore pre-business management major, was injured around 2 a.m. Friday while crossing the South Water Street and Erie Street intersection.

Joseph Luzar, senior communications major, was driving the vehicle that struck Binkhnain.

Luzar was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Luzar’s blood alcohol level was .168 percent, which is nearly two times the legal limit of .08 percent.

This is not Luzar’s first vehicular offense. In 2007, Ravenna Police charged Luzar with speeding and operating a vehicle without reasonable control. Mosher said this usually means the driver loses control of the vehicle, which results in an accident.

At the time of the accident, Katie O’Neill was bartending at 157 Lounge, which is on the street where the accident occurred.

“A lot of people came into the bar saying someone had been hit by a car,” O’Neill said. “There was a crowd of people watching what was going on.”

She said even after all bars had closed, there were still many onlookers gathered around the scene.

Luzar’s arraignment was Friday morning at Judge Kevin Poland’s courtroom in the Portage County Municipal Court. Luzar was released on a $3,500 personal recognizance bond. Luzar’s pre-trial hearing is scheduled for March 17.

Contact Brittany Schmigel at [email protected]@kent.edu.