A UNC-Chapel Hill tennis player is behind bars after police allege he hit two pedestrians with a sport utility vehicle while driving drunk and then tried to flee the scene on foot.

At 2:13 a.m. Sunday, Chris Kearney, 20, was driving a black 2004 Nissan Murano south near the 200 block of North Columbia Street when he veered to the right of the road, hit a rock retaining wall and then two female pedestrians, Sgt. Jabe Hunter of the Chapel Hill Police said.

The women were transported to UNC Hospitals with injuries that were serious but not life-threatening, Hunter said.

Police say that after his car hit the women, Kearney got out and walked away from the scene before he was apprehended by police.

Kearney was charged early Sunday morning with driving while intoxicated, two counts of felony hit and run, possession of fake identification, drinking underage and misdemeanor reckless driving. Kearney registered a blood alcohol level of .18, more than twice the legal limit for drivers 21 years or older.

Kearney, whose permanent address is 4341 Pioneer St., Irvine, Calif., was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail Sunday night in the Orange County jail.

UNC athletic director Dick Baddour issued a statement Sunday calling for the speedy recovery of the injured women.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the students who were injured and their families as well as Chris and his family," read Baddour's statement.

UNC athletics spokesman Steve Kirschner would not elaborate on the statement.

Kearney was listed by UNC's athletics department as a sophomore business major from Irvine, Calif. In 2007, he was named the ACC Freshman of the Year for tennis.

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