The call came in to 911 as a man lying in a snowbank in St. Paul on Monday night, but police discovered a mystery when they arrived.

Officers found Tom Corbett, 48, bleeding from his face in the West Seventh Street neighborhood.

He told officers he thought he had slipped on the ice, but given the severity of his injuries and evidence that police found — tire tracks and debris from a damaged vehicle next to him — investigators believe Corbett was struck by a vehicle that drove away, said Steve Linders, a St. Paul police spokesman, on Thursday.

Paramedics took Corbett to the hospital, where he was listed in serious condition on Thursday. He’s being treated in intensive care for a fractured pelvis, eight broken ribs and a punctured lung, said his sister, Cindy Corbett Nelson. He underwent surgery Wednesday for his broken jaw.

Corbett has worked at Cooper’s Foods on West Seventh Street near Western Avenue, where he bags groceries, since 2003. He also lives nearby and was walking home from work when he was injured. Corbett, who has Down syndrome, lives with a family who looks after him, his sister said.

“All the customers love him,” said Chris Streadwick, Cooper’s assistant store manager “He’s kind of like a neighborhood icon. Everybody knows him.”

Corbett’s family and police are asking anyone with information to come forward.

“He has such a wonderful, pure soul,” Corbett Nelson said. “What happened is obviously life-changing, but we’re hoping we’ll get our Tommy back at some point in time and hoping to get some help from the public to figure out what happened.”

Police believe Corbett was struck in the area of Michigan and Duke streets between 6:30 and 7:15 p.m. Monday. A 36-year-old Uber driver who was picking up a customer spotted Corbett about 7:15 p.m., called 911 and stayed with him until help arrived, Linders said.

Officers canvassed the area, looking for any witnesses or vehicles with damage, but found neither. They also haven’t located any video that sheds light on what happened or a vehicle leaving the area with front-end damage, according to a police spokesman.

Corbett’s family doesn’t know if the crash left him unable to remember what happened, or whether he was struck from behind and didn’t realize what occurred. Related Articles Oakdale man sentenced to 30 years for death of West St. Paul father shot as 2-year-old son slept beside him

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“It’s been a whirlwind,” Corbett Nelson said. “We’re all scared and frustrated and sad and mad — every kind of feeling you can have. How does somebody hit another person and leave the scene? How do you live with yourself?”

Corbett is well-known by Cooper’s regulars and others in the neighborhood because he likes to walk around to restaurants and stores in the area, his sister said.

“He’s so friendly,” she said. “He just puts a smile on everyone’s face when he walks in the room.”

Police ask anyone with information to call them at 651-266-5727.