FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) – An 18-year-old Franklin woman is in fair condition at UPMC Hamot in Erie after she was struck by a truck while in a crosswalk at about 12:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Franklin Police Chief Mark London told exploreVenango.com the woman was walking legally in a crosswalk at the intersection of West Park and Liberty Streets near the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin.

Police have not released the victim’s name, but said as of 5:00 a.m. Wednesday she was listed as being in fair condition.

Victim Struck, Police Dispatched

According to police, Venango County 911 dispatched Franklin Police to the scene at about 12:21 p.m., and a uniformed officer from Sugarcreek Borough Police also happened to be in the area and radioed he was on the scene.

The woman was struck by a truck operated by Nicholas A. Ruby, 36, of Oil City, who allegedly fled the scene.

“He struck the pedestrian and continued onward away from the scene,” London said.

Police say the Sugarcreek Officer and witnesses reported the vehicle fled west along Liberty Street and turned north onto 13th Street, and a short time later another witness reported the vehicle traveling along 15th Street “at a high rate of speed.”

Witnesses said Ruby had been traveling West along Liberty Street and made at least two abrupt lane changes, cutting other vehicles off before striking the pedestrian when other vehicles had stopped to allow her to cross.

Ruby Arrested

At about 12:45 Franklin-based State Police reported they had stopped the suspect’s vehicle along Interstate 80 westbound near mile marker 25.

According to police, Ruby was the operator of the vehicle and allegedly admitted knowing he struck “something” and hearing a loud “thump” while he was driving through Franklin, but said he did not know what he hit and he did not think it was a person.

Police arrested Ruby and had him arraigned on third-degree felony charges of accidents involving death or personal injury and aggravated assault by vehicle and summary charges of failure to immediately notify police of an accident, reckless driving, and failure to use required turn signals.

After failing to post $50,000.00 bail, Ruby was placed in the Venango County Jail.

Franklin Police Department issued a statement thanking witnesses at the scene, the Sugarcreek Police Department, and State Police for assistance in the incident.