SHENANDOAH — Mahanoy Township police are trying to find family or friends of a man who was critically injured when struck by a car Monday night.
Chief Brandon Alexander said authorities have been working since the time of the crash to notify family or friends of the injured man but have been unsuccessful.
Patrolman Elliott Burlett identified the victim as Luis Velasco and said he is either 43- or 44-years-old.
The man has no known address but is believed to be from the Shenandoah area, the officer said.
Burlett said the crash occurred about 10 p.m. on Route 924, just south of Shenandoah in the area of the Chill Out ice cream store.
He said Brian Pritula, 29, of Lost Creek, was driving a Ford Focus south when he struck Velasco, who was apparently walking on the roadway.
The impact caused extensive damage to the Pritula vehicle and threw Velasco about 50 feet from the point from which he was struck.
Velasco was treated at the scene by paramedics from Shenandoah ALS and emergency medical technicians from Lost Creek EMS.
Alexander said he was then taken to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, by ambulance after the crash and remains there as of Tuesday in “very critical condition.”
Medical helicopters were unable to fly due to inclement weather, Shenandoah firefighters at the scene said.
Both Alexander and Burlett said the investigation into the crash is continuing.
Alexander said the only identification Velasco had on him was a voter identification card from Mexico, a card that is dated from 1995.
Shenandoah firefighters assisted with shutting down both southbound lanes of Route 924 while police investigated the crash and collected evidence.
Assisting were police from Mahanoy City, Shenandoah and West Mahanoy Township.
Alexander said that anyone who may know Velasco or any of his family or friends can call Mahanoy Township police through the Schuylkill County Communications Center at 570-462-1991.