Man Charged In Hit-And-Run That Seriously Injured UMass Student Allegedly Said He Hit A Deer

AMHERST (CBS) – Prosecutors said a 20-year-old Northampton man who was arrested in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a UMass Amherst student told his father damage to his SUV had been caused by a deer.

Jacob Delisle was arraigned Thursday on five charges in connection with the Monday crash. Delisle is charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury, negligent operation, crosswalk violation, misleading a witness, and trespassing.

Following his arraignment, Delisle was released on $5,000 cash bail on conditions he refrain from driving and stay away from the UMass campus.

Delisle allegedly hit a UMass student who was walking across Mass Ave. in the crosswalk on Monday. The student remains hospitalized at Baystate Medical Center.

Prosecutors charged Delisle with misleading a witness after he allegedly told his father the SUV had been damaged when he hit a deer. His father planned to get the vehicle repaired, but the SUV was seized before any work was done.

UMass Police issued Delisle a no-trespass order in March 2021 after the 20-year-old, who is not a student at the university, was found drinking on campus. Because Delisle was allegedly driving through campus when he hit the student on Monday, he is now facing a trespassing charge.

Delisle is next scheduled to be in court for a pretrial hearing on May 20.