By Ivan Pereira
A Rosedale pastor is recovering at a Long Island hospital and the authorities were hard at work Tuesday searching for the suspected hit-and-run driver who put him there.
The Rev. Aubrey Bougher, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Christ, suffered four broken ribs and an injured pelvis after he was struck by a pickup truck at the intersection of Sunrise Highway and Francis Lewis Boulevard around midnight Saturday, police said. The pastor was walking back from the Rosedale Long Island Rail Road station after attending a concert at Carnegie Hall, the church said.
The driver kept going and was never seen again, but several pedestrians came to the aid of Bougher and got him off the street until the ambulance came to take him to Franklin Hospital, according to parishioner, Isabelle Coles-Dunbar.
“God interceded because people came in and helped,” she said. “That intersection is dangerous and he could have been hit again.”
No arrests had been made as of press time Tuesday, but one of the good Samaritans was able to spot the car as it drove off, according to a police source.
“We do have a plate and the detectives are on the case,” the source said.
In the meantime, the church, located at 248-01 Francis Lewis Blvd., is continuing to offer its religious services and keep spirits up in Bougher’s absence. The Sunday masses were held in his honor and went off without a hitch, according to Coles-Dunbar.
“He’s an organized person so he was able to instruct us on what to do to get a replacement for services on Sunday,” she said.
The pastor has been in good spirits, according to parishioners, and recovering well at his hospital bed. Parishioner Paul Mader said Boughner was listed in stable condition and may need a hip replacement for his injuries.
It was not known when he would be released.
Bougher joined the parish in 1981 and has been active in the church community. Aside from his duties behind the pulpit, parishioners said he works with the youth in the neighborhood and serves as a chaplain for the Rosedale Civic Association.
“Right now [the parishioners] are very upset,” Herbert Dunbar said of the accident. “He’s a very energetic guy and very popular.”
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
