A serious skateboarding accident occurred last Thursday night at the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston campus.
At roughly 5:30 p.m. just west of Butterfield Road on West Alumni Avenue, a skateboarder collided with a sport utility vehicle (SUV).
Emergency personnel from URI and South Kingstown arrived at the accident and called for a helicopter at 5:30 p.m. which arrived at 5:58 p.m. The skateboarder, who is identified as Henry Karshis, an 18-year-old PharmD major, sustained serious enough injuries to necessitate being airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital. The driver, Sephano Gikas, 19-year-old undeclared major, was hospitalized but did not require being airlifted to the hospital.
Karshis’s current condition is unknown at this time despite multiple requests to the hospital.
“In the aftermath of the accident, staff from the University’s Division of Student Affairs met with students who were in the area at the time of the accident, offering them information on University support resources,” according to a statement from URI Communications released last week. The statement also said a member of URI’s Counseling Services went to see Karshis at the hospital and another met with Gikas on campus following the accident.
“URI Police have not filed any charges, as the investigation continues,” the statement said.
The University would like to offer its support to the URI community in the days following this horrible accident. If any student or URI community member requires counseling services, the Counseling Center at URI offers services including individual counseling, group counseling, and referrals for assessments. According to its website “The URI Counseling Center provides confidential support for the personal, emotional, and academic well-being of our students.”