MELROSE -- A Xaverian Brother and long-time staff member of Malden Catholic High School was the victim of a hit-and-run accident on the morning of Monday, July 9.

At 5:45 a.m., Melrose Police responded to a report of a person struck by a car on Herbert Street. According to police, the vehicle was probably going the wrong way down the narrow one-way street, hit and dragged the 85-year-old man, and then fled the scene, leaving him lying face-down in the road. He suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a Boston hospital.

Thomas J. Doherty III, headmaster of Malden Catholic High School, identified the accident victim as Brother Edward Bozzo, CFX, a staff member of the school and a resident of the Xaverian Brothers' Melrose Community.

A Xaverian Brother for 60 years, Brother Bozzo came to Malden Catholic in 1986 as assistant to Headmaster Brother Robert Sullivan, CFX. He has also served as dean of records and director of admissions, and has taught classes in English, Spanish, Latin, and Italian. His current official title is School Archivist, a part-time volunteer position that involves assembling and maintaining the school's historical records.

"The Malden Catholic community was saddened to learn today that Brother Ed Bozzo, CFX was the victim of a hit and run accident. We are grateful to the Melrose Police Department and the community at large for their efforts to identify the driver. Right now we are focused on Brother Bozzo and are asking that everyone join us in praying for his full recovery," the headmaster said in a July 9 statement.

Robert Gregory, Malden Catholic's Director of Marketing and Communications, updated The Pilot on Brother Bozzo's condition as of Tuesday, July 10.

"According to the Brothers, at this point, he's in intensive care following surgery yesterday at a Boston hospital," Gregory said.

"He's on the minds of everybody here today," Gregory added. "We've received some emails from folks, letting us know they're thinking about him. We're certainly grateful for the expressions of support we've received as people learn of and wrestle with this difficult news."

Meanwhile, Melrose Police continue their search for the driver in the accident.

"This is a particularly heinous hit-and-run that left a resident with traumatic injuries that are life-threatening," Chief Michael Lyle said July 9. "The person who did this knows what they did. I encourage the driver to come forward, and anyone who might have seen or heard something between 5:30-5:45 this (Monday) morning is urgently asked to call the Melrose Police Department."

Anyone with information relating to the accident is asked to call Sgt. Jon Goc at 781-665-1212.