woman hit by car, killed on byu campus

PROVO --  A woman was hit by a car and was killed Sunday night on Brigham Young University campus.

Police say Jessica Wilson, 28, and a friend were crossing North Campus Drive between 500 and 600 East near the bell tower around 8 p.m. Sunday when they were struck by a car driving west.

"A 27-year-old male got distracted and didn't see them and hit them both," said BYU police Lt. Arnold Lemmon.

Lemmon said the man was driving a 2008 Nissan Altima in the inside westbound lane. Two witnesses at the scene said the man had a green light, Lemmon said, but police are still investigating the incident. He said alcohol and drugs are not factors in the accident. The sun had gone down at the time of the accident, but Lemmon said there was still some ambient light.

Lemmon said Wilson suffered head trauma and was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center within minutes, where she was later pronounced dead. The second woman, whose name has not been released, was also transported to the hospital with a possible compound fracture to her leg.

"She is in critical condition awaiting multiple surgeries," he said.

The woman is a friend of Wilson who was visiting from out of the country, Lemmon said. Although she is still in critical condition, she is expected to survive.

Wilson's family said the friend is from Estonia, where Wilson served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has been in the country for a few weeks and was to return home in October.

Everett Wilson, Jessica Wilson's father, said Wilson worked as a social worker at Wasatch Mental Health after graduating from BYU in August 2009.

"She really loved her job," he said.

Everett Wilson said his daughter enjoyed helping people at Wasatch and wanted to get a master's degree someday, but she wanted to get the degree online so that she would not have to leave her job.

The family said Wilson loved to help others, and they provided an excerpt from her journal from when she entered the social work program.

"I'm gonna be a social worker! Woohoo!" she wrote. "Do you know why? Because I am a teacher, and I love to help people -- it brings me joy."

Darla Wilson, Jessica Wilson's mother, said her daughter's love for others was genuine. Jessica Wilson loved life, and she tried to help everybody love life, her mother said.

Jessica Wilson took karate, debate and was a member of Future Farmers of America when she was young -- mostly to meet others, her mother said. She did not try to be the center of attention, but she loved people and naturally drew them to her.

"She was never in one spot very long before everybody knew her," Darla Wilson said.

Jessica Wilson was also an avid marathoner and completed several. She was signed up to run a relay in Las Vegas next month. Though Wilson grew up in Rexburg, Idaho, she fell in love with Utah Valley and its mountains and wanted to stay in the area.

Wilson's family said she inspired others, and Everett Wilson said several friends were at the hospital Sunday evening when they heard the news. Her mother said several people said Wilson was "the most perfect and spiritual person they've ever met."

Though the accident has been hard on the family, Everett Wilson said his daughter would not want them to mourn. He said if she were still here, she would be much more concerned about her family than herself.

Amber Kent, Jessica Wilson's sister, said the family is planning to hold a funeral for Jessica on Saturday, Sept. 25 in Rexburg, Idaho. Some of Jessica Wilson's friends are considering a 5K fund raiser to help pay for the funeral, and Kent said there may be a memorial service in Utah County when the 5K is held.

Jessica served as a missionary in the Baltic Mission, which includes Latvia, Lithuania & Estonia.