She only had one street to cross to get to school.
But Anna Vinokurova never made it to class at Edmonds Community College Oct. 24. She was struck by a car while in a marked crosswalk in front of the college and near the house she rents with friends. It was the day before her 19th birthday.
Vinokurova remains in Harborview Medical Center, where her condition was upgraded two weeks ago from critical to serious. She has a multitude of injuries, including brain damage, two broken legs and damaged neck vertebrae, according to her sister, Victoria Vinokurova, 21.
Ryan O’Neill, 19, Anna Vinokurova’s boyfriend, added that she is not yet breathing on her own but is “making baby steps.”
Vinokurova was struck at about 7:30 a.m. on a rainy morning by a 22-year-old Lynnwood man driving a black Honda, according to Lynnwood Police. The impact of the collision threw her about 75 feet and her shoes and belongings were strewn along the street.
No local criminal charges were made against driver Fernando Gonzalez-Lopez, but he was given over to U.S. Immigration and Customs officials for investigation of immigration matters. Gonzalez-Lopez, who is from Mexico, has pled guilty to failure to register as a legal U.S. immigrant and being in possession of fraudulent immigration documents, according to a spokeswoman for the federal immigration and customs agency.
He is serving 16 days in a federal facility for those violations and after that time, will continue to be detained as the process begins for his removal from the United States, the spokeswoman said.
A fund to help with the injured woman’s medical expenses has been set up at Washington Mutual bank. Contributions in Anna Vinokurova’s name may be dropped off at any Washington Mutual branch office.
EdCC students also are working on raising money for her, according to Karen Thielke, assistant director for student programs. But the end of the quarter is looming and an organized effort may not result before then, she said, adding that at the very least students would like to set up donation boxes on campus.
Victoria Vinokurova said her sister was working toward becoming a veterinarian.
A 2005 graduate of Scriber Lake High School, Anna Vinokurova came to the United States with her family from Russia about 10-1/2 years ago, her sister said. She is not yet a U.S. citizen, according to O’Neill.
Other members of the injured woman’s family in the area include her mother, who is self-employed as a house cleaner, and a 17-year-old sister.
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