Local
Louisville Pedestrian Hospitalized After Downtown Ambassador Vehicle Strikes Her at Fourth and Chestnut
Amy Mavrick suffered a fractured skull, brain bleed and broken ankle when a Block by Block ambassador vehicle hit her in a downtown crosswalk on Halloween morning, her family says. No citations were issued, and the company says it is cooperating with police.
A Louisville woman remains seriously injured after she was struck by a downtown ambassador vehicle while crossing a street on her way to work, according to her family.
Amy Mavrick was hit on the morning of Oct. 31 at the intersection of Fourth Street and Chestnut Street, relatives said. She suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and a broken ankle.
Witnesses told the family that the ambassador vehicle struck Mavrick as it turned right from Fourth Street onto Chestnut Street while she was in the crosswalk. She was heading to her job at the Louisville Palace, the historic theater on Fourth Street.
The vehicle is operated by Block by Block, a contractor that supplies the orange-shirted ambassadors who patrol downtown Louisville, picking up trash, giving directions and assisting with public safety. The company is hired by the Louisville Downtown Partnership, which receives partial funding from city tax dollars.
In a written statement, Block by Block confirmed that one of its ambassadors was driving a company vehicle on duty when the collision occurred.
"Our thoughts are with the pedestrian, her loved ones and everyone affected by this accident. Her well-being is our foremost concern," the statement said. "We understand the pedestrian received medical attention, and we pray for a quick recovery."
The company said it is cooperating fully with local authorities and is still working to understand what happened. It noted that no citations were issued at the scene and said the investigation should establish the facts before further comment. Questions about the crash were referred to the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Block by Block representatives would not confirm the employment status of the driver involved.
The collision raises questions about the oversight of a program that places vehicles and workers in some of the city's busiest pedestrian corridors. The ambassadors are a familiar presence downtown, but their vehicles share the road with people on foot, bikes and scooters, and the program is backed in part by public money.
Police have not released additional details about the investigation. Mavrick's family said she did not make it to work that day and is recovering from her injuries.