By Travis DeNeal and Sara Bean 9

A Saluki Express bus struck a Carbondale man at 2:43 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Grand Avenue and South Illinois Avenue, injuring the pedestrian.

The bus, driven by Steven J. Seibert, 30, of Carbondale, struck Lawrence W. Nalsi, 45, also of Carbondale. Nalsi was taken to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, 405 W. Jackson St., where he was listed in satisfactory condition as of press time Wednesday.

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Seibert was driving westbound on Grand Avenue turning left to head southbound on South Illinois Avenue when he struck Nalsi, who was headed eastbound in the crosswalk.

Hospital officials would not comment on the extent of Nalsi’s injuries, though he appeared to be bleeding from his head before he was treated by emergency workers.

Carbondale Police Sgt. Dan Stearns said fault had not been determined, and no tickets had been issued as of press time.

Seibert, who appeared slightly shaken by the incident, said he did not see Nalsi in the crosswalk.

He was covered by the left-hand mirror, Seibert said. There’s a blind spot there.

Seung Hwan Kim, a passenger on the bus, said he and other passengers saw Nalsi in the crosswalk immediately before the accident and yelled in anticipation of the collision.

We shouted Oh my God!’ Kim said.

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Kim, a graduate student in accounting from South Korea, said the afternoon sun in the western sky made visibility difficult.

Cory Bosley, a freshman in broadcasting from Schaumburg, observed the accident about 20 yards away.

I was on my bike over there (in the median dividing South Illinois Avenue) and I saw this guy walking in the crosswalk, Bosley said. When I saw him (Nalsi) on the ground, I dropped my bike and ran over to help him.

Carbondale Police identified Nalsi as an SIUC student, but SIUC Admissions and Records could not confirm that Nalsi is a student.