By Juliann Vachon

Police are following multiple leads and are investigating one suspect in particular who could have been involved in a hit-and-run incident early Sunday that killed a UK student, said Officer Scott Lynch of the Lexington police.

A pickup truck struck Connie Blount, 18, of Park City, Utah, while she was crossing the intersection at South Broadway and West Maxwell Street with a friend at about 2:15 a.m. Blount died later that morning at the UK Medical Center from injuries, police said Sunday.

The truck, light-colored and possibly of the General Motors make, did not stop after hitting Blount and fled south on South Broadway, police said. Police have not released any names or made any charges, but Lynch said they have “strong leads.”

Jack Blount, Connie’s father, said he spoke with police yesterday afternoon and was pleased with the progress they made since the incident.

“I can tell you they were very excited when I spoke with them,” Jack Blount said. “They worked all night and have made a tremendous progress. I think we’re anxious to see what they learn in the next day or two.”

A friend of Blount described as a male in his late teens or early 20s was walking her to her condo on South Upper Street after a night with friends at two or three different locations, Jack Blount said.

Lynch said accounts from the night showed that Blount and her friend had been drinking alcohol, but he did not think that contributed to the accident.

The two were walking west, crossing South Broadway, and Lynch said he could not comment on where they were coming from because it could jeopardize the investigation.

Jack Blount said he talked with the young man who was walking with his daughter, the police and doctors at UK Medical Center. Multiple people told him they did not think Connie or her friend had enough to drink that would impair their ability to walk home safely, he said.

“We weren’t here so we don’t know the exact details,” Jack Blount said. “It certainly would not surprise me that Connie or her friend or any other college student would have a drink on a Saturday night.”

“I’ve been Connie’s father for more than 18 years, and I’ve never seen Connie drunk,” he said. “She was just a responsible young woman.”

Blount’s body underwent an autopsy Sunday, but a toxicology report and other results will not be available for one to three months, said Sarah Davis, deputy coroner at the Fayette County Coroner’s office, on Sunday.

Police suspect that Blount and her friend crossed the intersection while the traffic signal was green for vehicles, Lynch said.

But Jack Blount said the man, who gave his account of the incident to police, said he had some trouble remembering the specifics of the night, such as what color the light was when they started crossing the street.

“You’re not typically in record mode as you walk home,” Jack Blount said. “And after being traumatized by seeing your friend hit by a truck, all of a sudden you start second guessing yourself about what you saw.”