Contrary to previous reports, the victim of a pedestrian hit-and-run last weekend at the intersection of South Park Street and Regent Street is a student at Madison Area Technical College.

According to the victim's cousin, Jill Peerenboom, the victim is an MATC student who has expressed interest in transferring the University of Wisconsin in the future. Additionally, Peerenboom said the victim continues to lie in a coma at a Madison hospital with family by his side.

Previous reports indicated the victim was a UW student, and university officials confirmed otherwise Monday.

"The dean of students office was in touch with Madison police this morning, and we had run the victim's name through our computer database," said John Lucas, spokesperson for UW. "We found conclusively that the person that was a victim of it was not a UW student."

Mike Hanson, public information officer for the Madison Police Department, confirmed the male victim is still in critical condition at a local hospital. The victim was struck by a dark-colored minivan with a tinted rear window at about 2 a.m. Saturday.

The MPD is currently looking for any witnesses to the hit-and-run accident or anyone who has noticed a minivan with new front-end damage.

"Right now, we're relying heavily on witness statements," Hanson said.

According to Lucas, UW will be issuing a list of safety tips for pedestrians and drivers in response to both this accident and February's crash in front of Memorial Union where a UW student was hit by a drunken driver.

"We've been trying to provide more timely safety information to students," Lucas said.

The message — which will be posted to the student newslink, Wisconsin portal and UW news website — encourages students to keep alert when walking around Madison, wear bright clothing and to not cross the street when cars appear to not see you or slow down.

Hanson said it is too early to determine if alcohol played a factor in this hit-and-run.