By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HOOVER—A 59-year-old man is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly intentionally striking and injuring a pedestrian with his Chevrolet Corvette on Jan. 6.

Hoover police received a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle on Lorna Road at around 4 p.m. on Jan. 6. When police arrived at the scene, they discovered a 1995 Chevrolet Corvette, driven by Mark Roland Ritchie, crashed into a brick sign at the entrance of The Place at Galleria Apartments, on Lorna Road near Municipal Drive.

Two male pedestrians returned to the accident scene and reported to police that one of them had been struck by the Corvette before it crashed into the sign.

According to the police, the pedestrians were in the center turn lane of Lorna Road attempting to cross the street when the Corvette, allegedly driven by Ritchie, pulled up to them in the center lane.

“We know he was angry, he was agitated, we don’t know why,” Hoover Police Capt. Gregg Rector said. “He shouted obscenities at them, and he bumped one of them.”

Rector said police believe Ritchie was attempting to turn into the Lorna Place apartments on Treeline Court. As he was pulling out of the turn lane, Ritchie allegedly sideswiped one of the pedestrians.

Video surveillance captured the Corvette as it entered the apartment complex and veered sharply, directly striking the pedestrian it had allegedly swiped on Lorna Road and sending the 34-year-old man into the air before crashing into the brick sign.

The victim was transported to UAB hospital with a broken clavicle. He was treated and released.

Ritchie was transported to UAB Medical West, then UAB hospital for treatment of facial injuries. He was released and transported to the Hoover City Jail.

Ritchie, who police say lists an address on North Broken Bow Drive in North Shelby, was charged with one count of attempted murder and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol. He is currently being held in the Jefferson County Jail on bonds totaling $30,000.