Plainfield community rallies behind ISU students hit by car while leaving Normal pub

PLAINFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- The community of Plainfield has been rallying behind two young men who were critically injured in a crash.

Mike Burns and Carson Bates, both students at Illinois State University, were leaving a pub in Normal, Illinois, early Thursday morning. They were about to walk home when investigators said they were hit by a car.

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Jim Woltman's son is one of Bates' roommates. He said his son, Evan, has known Bates and Burns for several years. They are part of a tight-knit group who all graduated from Plainfield North High School in 2019.

"They're just a nice group of kids who like to hang out with each other, working on their futures at ISU," Woltman said.

The crash happened shortly after the college seniors were leaving a popular hangout near campus called the Pub II. Normal police are still investigating the crash, but said it was not a hit-and-run. Both Burns and Bates were flown to a hospital in Champaign.

Woltman's son was part of a group that organized a GoFundMe page to raise money for medical expenses, and donations have been pouring in.

"There's been so much community support that it really warms your heart to see how people have come out to help those two families," Woltman said.

Woltman said his son has gone back and forth from ISU's campus to Champaign the past few days to check on his friends.

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"They had nothing but good times ahead of them this year. Right now, that's kind of put on hold," Woltman said.

Burns' mother said the boys have a long road to recovery, but remains hopeful they will make progress, and is thankful for community support.