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Albany Police arrested Austin Breyette, age 25, of Watervliet, early Thursday morning, May 23, in connection with the collision that left 18-year-old UAlbany freshman Alexa Kropf in a medically induced coma.
Kropf, a Long Island native from Floral Park, was struck by a dirt bike rider just blocks from the UAlbany campus at around midnight Saturday, April 27.
When officers arrived, they found the young woman lying in the roadway along Hudson Avenue with a serious head injury and a broken leg, police said.
Witnesses told investigators that Kropf was struck by a man who was driving an illegal dirt bike at a high rate of speed while weaving in and out of groups of people in the roadway. He then fled the scene.
The teen was thrown into the air and landed on the pavement several feet away, breaking five ribs and her leg, and suffering swelling in her brain. She was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital in critical condition and was placed in an induced coma.
In the weeks since the crash, Kropf has undergone multiple surgeries to relieve the brain swelling, with additional surgeries on her pelvis and leg. Doctors had to put a plate in her tibia due to the compound fracture.
She is no longer in a coma and is breathing on her own, but faces “a long journey” with speech, occupational, and physical therapy, relatives said in a GoFundMe campaign.
“She definitely needs assistance with everything that she does. Going to the bathroom needs two people to carry her to a chair,” her father, Jim Kropf, told Albany station WNYT.
“Cognitively, she’s getting there. Not quite there yet. She is putting some sentences together and some words together. Do they always make sense? No, unfortunately. But she does recognize people and who we are, which is nice to see.”
Breyette was taken into custody at around 6:15 a.m. Thursday after Albany Police executed a search warrant at his Watervliet home. He is charged with one count of assault and one count of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.
“Albany Police Department detectives worked tirelessly to ensure that the perpetrator of this egregious, unconscionable act was held accountable,” Chief Eric Hawkins said in a statement.
“Alexa and her family will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers as she recovers."
The GoFundMe campaign, created to help Kropf’s family with the mounting medical bills, has raised over $100,000. Those who wish to donate can do so here.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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