A sports utility vehicle hit a woman attempting to cross Main Street in downtown Niles late Tuesday morning.

The woman, whose name was not released by police, was taken to Lakeland Hospital by Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Service.

Officer Amber Walter, with Niles Police, said the woman’s injuries were not life threatening.

Multiple witnesses said the woman had the go-ahead signal when she was walking south across Main Street at Second Street around 11:20 a.m. A sport utility vehicle turning west onto Main Street from Second Street collided with the woman, sending her flying off her feet and onto her side on the pavement, according to witnesses.

“She was in a lot of pain,” said Linda Haase, who saw the accident occur and called police with her husband, Chuck.

The driver of the vehicle that hit the woman is 81-year-old F. Lester Dircks, of Niles.

Dircks said he was on his way to a Buchanan nursing home to have lunch with his wife like he does everyday.

He would have taken the Broadway Bridge, he said, but it was closed while crews worked to place a permanent patch on a water main break. He said he did not see the woman as he turned east onto Main Street.

“It just happened so fast. I looked up and boom she was in front of me,” he said.

Officer Walter said Dircks was at fault. Walker said she has the discretion to issue a citation, but is not going to do so in this case. Instead, she will have Dircks undergo a driver reevaluation.

“I want to make sure he is okay to drive,” Walter said.