Hankinson,
27 gets four years jail for killing Indian student
Hankinson had ran a red light, struck another
car with her sports utility vehicle and spun up onto the sidewalk,
pushing the Abhishek Singh, into the Hocking River on June 30,
2007
Ohio , July 09, 2008
Satinder Sharma
An Ohio court sentenced April R. Hankinson, 27,
four years in jail and to pay USD 15,465 in restitution to the
deceased's family, whose car accidently ran over an Indian student
last year.
According to the report on August 22, 2007, Christa Gould
/ For The Post:
Abhishek Singh, an Ohio University student from India working
on his doctorate in physics and astronomy, was killed after he
apparently was hit in a two-vehicle accident and thrown into the
Hocking River. He was 22.
Singh was born in Faizabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India
on July 7, 1984. His parents are Amarendra and Indu Singh.
He had been studying at Ohio University since fall of 2006. Before
coming to Ohio University, Singh studied at the National Institute
of Technology in Jamsehdpur in the state of Jharkhand in India.
He earned a degree in electrical engineering.
“He was always very enthusiastic, probably one of the most
enthusiastic students I knew,” said Ken Hicks, professor
in physics and astronomy and advisor for Singh’s summer
research project. “He really wanted to make some discovery
or some contribution to the world through physics.”
One of his roommates, Sunny Mishra, said that Singh’s aim
was “to serve India after getting his degree.”
Singh was also a member of the Indian Students Association at
OU.“He used to go out in the morning [to study and do research]
and come back late at night,” said Santosh Vijapur, the
association’s treasurer.
Singh placed third in the Microsoft Imagine Cup prize in 2005
for his work in computer programming and received $3,000. He was
also awarded about $5,000 from Texas Instruments in 2004.
Although he did not accept the position, Singh was selected to
be a scientist in the Defense Research and Development Organization
for the government of India, Mishra said.
Singh’s body will be returned to his family in India for
burial, said George Mauzy, spokesman for the university. The university
will later hold a memorial service for Singh.
Singh was killed Saturday when an SUV allegedly careened across
the Richland Avenue bridge, hit him and sent him into the river.
The SUV was part of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection
of Richland Avenue and State Route 682 that happened around 11:20
p.m. on Saturday, Lt. Randy Gray of the Athens Police Department,
said.
Police found the body of Singh, a 22-year-old graduate student
from India—nearly 14 hours after the accident—in the
Hocking River on Sunday at about 3:25 p.m.
Police officers were at the accident scene on Saturday night,
but the drivers did not report that a pedestrian had been hit,
Gray said.
“No one had any idea [a pedestrian had been hit] until
after we found the body,” he added.
On Sunday, however, people on the bike path along the Hocking
River noticed what resembled a body in the river and notified
the OU Police Department, who later contacted the Athens Police
Department, Gray said.
The initial accident occurred when April Hankinson, 26, of Athens,
ran the red light at State Route 682 while traveling northbound
on Richland Avenue in her Ford Explorer, Gray said.
Hankinson’s vehicle was hit by a Subaru LGX compact traveling
eastbound on Route 682, Gray said. The eastbound vehicle’s
driver was Naomi Bell, 45, of Ravenswood, W.Va. Hankinson’s
car careened into Singh, knocking him off the bridge, Gray said.
Hankinson and Bell were taken to O’Bleness Memorial Hospital,
55 Hospital Drive, for minor injuries and were released, Gray
said.
Police have a blood sample from Hankinson and will determine
if she had alcohol in her blood, Gray said. He did not say if
alcohol was a factor in the crash.
Once the crash’s investigation is complete, the prosecutor’s
office will review the evidence and decide if charges will be
filed, Gray said.
Many faiths commemorate man of science
University, Athens communities gather to remember a promising
life cut short
July 20, 2007
By Anita Martin
Those lucky enough to call Abhishek Singh their friend, student
or teacher say they are forever changed by his inexhaustible curiosity
and ready smile.
Singh, of Faizabad, India, who was pursuing a doctorate in physics
at Ohio University, died following a June 30 traffic accident
on Richland Avenue, just six days before his 23rd birthday.
Close to 200 members of the university and Athens communities
gathered Thursday afternoon to honor his life and celebrate his
memory. Amritjit Singh, the university's Langston Hughes Professor
of English and African American Studies, led the service.
"We are all part of a university community, and a university
community in a small town," Amritjit Singh said. "We
are all connected, and in that way, we are all Abhishek's extended
family."
Amritjit Singh, with the help of Singh's friends and university
staff members, designed the service as an interfaith memorial
to facilitate the healing of mourners of various beliefs. The
service incorporated Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Jewish
prayers, blessings, chants and songs.
References to Singh's passionate inquisitiveness were threaded
through the service as friends and professors shared their memories.
"Abhishek did not blindly accept what was written in textbooks.
He wanted to question them, to test ideas of his own," said
Kenneth Hicks, professor of physics and Singh's research adviser.
"He expressed the critical thinking that is the hallmark
of science."
Share your remembrances
Those who wish to send a message to Singh's family may stop by
the Office of International Student and Faculty Services in Baker
Center 348 to sign a book of condolences. The book will be sent
to Singh's family at the end of July.
In recognition of Singh's interest in teaching undergraduate
students, the Department of Physics and Astronomy has established
an undergraduate scholarship in his name to serve as a permanent
memorial.
Those wishing to make a donation to endow this scholarship may
send contributions to:
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Ohio University
251 Clippinger Labs
Athens, OH 45701
Please make checks out to The Ohio University Foundation. For
more information, contact Wayne Chiasson at 740-593-1712 or chiasson@ohio.edu.
Many noted that Singh's interests extended far beyond his studies
of accelerated particle physics to include such subjects as history,
economics, psychology and linguistics, to name a few. Friends
said he often worked in the lab or read late into the night, only
to rise earlier than his roommates the next morning to return
to his studies.
"Abhishek was a living encyclopedia," said Dhruv Kohli,
one of those roommates. "Talk about history or talk about
technology, he always had an answer."
Kellen Murphy, Singh's officemate in the physics department,
spoke of his inspirational effect. "What I learned from Abhishek
is that everyone should seek out passion and indulge in that passion
as much as possible."
In all accounts, Singh was described as a genuine scholar, devoted
to understanding the nature of the physical world and spreading
his love of science to others through teaching. Singh's frequent
laughter revealed a playful side as well.
As Singh's friend Brett Ragozzine recalled with a laugh, Singh
sometimes joked about keeping an imaginary pet stegosaurus named
Fred. "He could be so serious sometimes," Ragozzine
said, "but he was also always smiling and laughing."
In response to Singh's death, his fellow physics students have
submitted a petition asking Athens City Council to improve pedestrian
safety near the intersection of Ohio Route 682 and Richland Avenue.
In addition, the Department of Physics and Astronomy is collecting
donations in hopes of creating an endowed undergraduate scholarship
in Singh's name to honor his devotion to teaching.
"Abhishek's major goal was to improve the world," Amritjit
Singh said. "By addressing better safety and creating this
undergraduate scholarship, he will certainly improve the world
here in Athens."
