MTA Bus Operator Kills Elderly Woman on Left-Turn, Continues Driving

[MHV9218]

Absolutely appalling. I hope they throw the book at this guy, and hard. It's clear from images that this was not a blind turn by any means. Some proof that (as was mentioned a few weeks ago, and I mistakenly disagreed) the rooftop numbers are indeed used for police, however.

 

--

 

M.T.A. Bus Fatally Strikes Woman, 70, in Brooklyn

 

By BENJAMIN MUELLER

NOV. 3, 2015

 

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus hit a 70-year-old woman who was crossing the street in Brooklyn on Tuesday morning, killing her, and then continued on to a nearby depot, the authorities said.

 

By the time investigators determined through surveillance video which bus was involved in the crash, a second driver had picked it up from the depot and begun a new route, apparently not knowing it had hit a woman earlier in the morning, an authority spokeswoman, Amanda Kwan, said.

 

The police said the surveillance video obtained by investigators showed the bus stopping briefly after hitting the woman, Carol Bell, at the intersection of Sackman and Fulton Streets in the Broadway Junction section of Brooklyn around 6:15 a.m. Then the bus drove off to the East New York Depot, several blocks away, near the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and Broadway, the police said.

 

The driver was not immediately located on Tuesday morning, but by the afternoon, investigators had identified the driver and were questioning that person, the police said.

 

Ms. Kwan said the authorities towed the bus back to the depot after identifying its rooftop number through surveillance video and pulling it over along the B15 bus route, with a fresh driver at its wheel.

 

Ms. Bell lived at the 200-bed Magnolia House Women’s Shelter, just a block from the scene of the crash.

 

She was walking north on Sackman Street and crossing Fulton when she was hit by a southbound bus that was making a left turn onto Fulton, the police said.

 

Mario Abreu, the owner of Abreu’s Grocery Store, said Ms. Bell had passed his shop Tuesday morning as he was preparing to open, as she did almost every day around the same time. She would often come inside to buy something sweet — Mike and Ike candy was one of her favorites — and then return later in the morning around 10:30 a.m.

 

“She was one of the best there,” Mr. Abreu said, referring to the shelter. “She was clean and nice and polite. She was one of the best there.”

 

Photos from the scene showed a walker lying in the street. Mr. Abreu said that after hearing how bad it was, he decided not to get too close.

 

A police spokesman said an investigation into the crash was continuing, and Ms. Kwan said the agency was assisting in that investigation and conducting its own.

 

Police image from before the hit-and-run:

 

 

Quote from the Daily News:

 

"“She was cut in half ... definitely in half,” Ramon Garcia told The News. “I tried to help her but she was too bloody. There was a lot of blood.”

 

“He just kept on going,” Garcia said.

[paulrivera]

What did the driver do, make that left turn GTA style? I wouldn't doubt it if that happened.

 

Totally disgusting.

 

edit: I heard they're going to charge the driver.

[MysteriousBtrain]

You are telling me that this driver did not see that women? The picture shown proves that the driver could of definitely saw her and he was not paying attention to the road. Smh.

[MysteriousBtrain]

What did the driver do, make that left turn GTA style? I wouldn't doubt it if that happened.

There's a video in the daily news link. It shows the woman walking VERY SLOWLY as traffic passed by. As soon as the traffic cleared, the bus sped up without question. The video stops as soon as the bus is about to hit her.

[TransitJusticeForAll]

It looks like she's crossing in an unauthorized crossing zone. The driver should have stopped as soon he saw that lady. He/she should be suspended or terminated.

[MHV9218]

It looks like she's crossing in an unauthorized crossing zone. The driver should have stopped as soon he saw that lady. He/she should be suspended or terminated.

 

She's legally allowed to cross there because the intersection has no marked crosswalks but does have a break in traffic, so she has right of way. 

 

I'm glad they charged him. It should be more than leaving the scene of an accident. He deserves to rot in jail.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I'm just waiting for someone to come in here and defend this guy left and right... 

[Q43LTD]

There is no way in hell the driver should be defended. Sorry buddy, your union can't save you now

[Via Garibaldi 8]

There is no way in hell the driver should be defended. Sorry buddy, your union can't save you now

I wish I could say that with certainty, but as his defenders would say, let's wait and see.  

[Q43LTD]

I wish I could say that with certainty, but as his defenders would say, let's wait and see.

They shouldn't condone this

[QM1to6Ave]

She was well into the lane going towards the left on the video, so I'm not sure why the bus was making such a tight turn.

[DetSMART45]

Throw eggs at me all you want, but there are a lot on here who would do the "let's give the guy a chance" but in this circumstance you're all out with the pitchforks, ready to throw him in an electric chair.  Dead-to-rights or not, there are Union lawyers who will throw everything they've got to get the guy off (and that Union won't give up until a conviction, and only then strip him of "employment" status).  Think I'm off on this?  Look up how many teachers have gotten the same treatment, full (or close to it) pay until the jury comes back with a guilty conviction, then all of a sudden the Union hasn't heard of the person and they're hung out to dry on their own.  You could actually murder in cold-blood, have all sorts of facts that substantively corroborate it, and the Union will say, "Ohhhh, no!  Don't judge this person..." blah blah blah.  And there's a certain contingent on here that agrees with that whole approach.

 

Don't get me wrong ..... this guy SHOULD be waiting for the "justice" that only prisoners can dole out, since the DeBlasio-types outside of prison want "fairness" and "good person" touchy-feely crap.  He's basically been caught red-handed (no pun, please), and that should be enough for a conviction.  But in today's world, it isn't.

 

Some people don't get the "responsiblity for your actions" thoughts until something catastrophic happens within their personal world -- THEN it's all out blood for blood.  It doesn't matter until it happens to you.  That's where we've gone to with this "feelings" malarky.  Think about it.  This stuff just didn't crop up all on its own.

 

'Nuff said.

[MHV9218]

Don't get me wrong ..... this guy SHOULD be waiting for the "justice" that only prisoners can dole out, since the DeBlasio-types outside of prison want "fairness" and "good person" touchy-feely crap.  He's basically been caught red-handed (no pun, please), and that should be enough for a conviction.  But in today's world, it isn't.

 

The de Blasio-types are the only reason guys like this one have been getting in much trouble to start with. Remember the hissy fit the TWU stupidly threw over Vision Zero, making themselves look like children with the 'we'll drive more carefully' line? That was all in protest for de Blasio cracking down on reckless drivers like this guy.

[Rafa]

That is a huge intersection and that woman was big and wearing bright clothes. I'm pretty sure rushing was a big reason why he hit that lady. These drivers dont realize that the MTA may give u a schedule but if u can't make the time just go at your own pace. The MTA will never tell the driver to go faster so I'm not sure why drivers rush.

[MysteriousBtrain]

That is a huge intersection and that woman was big and wearing bright clothes. I'm pretty sure rushing was a big reason why he hit that lady. These drivers dont realize that the MTA may give u a schedule but if u can't make the time just go at your own pace. The MTA will never tell the driver to go faster so I'm not sure why drivers rush.

What funny is that we all know that the is never on time with anything.......

[Grand Concourse]

There is no justification here. Sad and tragic for that woman.

[TransitJusticeForAll]

She's legally allowed to cross there because the intersection has no marked crosswalks but does have a break in traffic, so she has right of way. 

 

I'm glad they charged him. It should be more than leaving the scene of an accident. He deserves to rot in jail.

I hear you, but it's highly unsafe to cross there because of no traffic or crosswalk lights, even though she had the right of way.

[paulrivera]

Even a younger person shouldn't even begin to cross that kind of intersection with passing cars in the vicinity like the woman did.

 

But the driver of the bus darn near looks like he's aiming the bus right at her, that turn was way too tight. (I'm not saying he's actually aiming for her but he had some room to work with to make a wider turn). It wasn't like that was a tiny one-way street for him to make such a sharp turn.

[MysteriousBtrain]

I hear you, but it's highly unsafe to cross there because of no traffic or crosswalk lights, even though she had the right of way.

Even a younger person shouldn't even begin to cross that kind of intersection with passing cars in the vicinity like the woman did.

 

But the driver of the bus darn near looks like he's aiming the bus right at her, that turn was way too tight. (I'm not saying he's actually aiming for her but he had some room to work with to make a wider turn). It wasn't like that was a tiny one-way street for him to make such a sharp turn.

What should be done in this case is create some more traffic lights in intersections like this and paint the walking area. Recently, new traffic lights were put up at Morris Avenue and 148th Street, as well as Alexander Avenue and 141st Street. And both intersections are not as "dangerous" as the intersection the lady crossed.

Well, Alexander Av and 141 St are nearly close to matching this intersection....

[MysteriousBtrain]

A little update:

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/04/nyregion/mta-bus-fatally-strikes-woman-70-in-brooklyn.html?_r=0&referer=https://www.google.com/

It talks about the "rough" life of Ms bell, the charges of the driver, and how the union responded.

[NewFlyer 230]

Wow that is scary. I wonder what was going through the drivers head before the incident happen. Did he just have on his mind I want to run over someone if they get in my way? And under the picture it says she was literally cut in half that is very disturbing to think about and I don't know how I could handle such a sight if I witnessed it.

[46Dover]

I was just discussing this with another driver who's a good friend of mine

 

The dreaded "left hand turn"

 

As a former road supervisor For Access A Ride, I had to handle a pedestrian strike incident for a left hand turn. We're constantly told as drivers to rock and roll in our seats because there are spots (mirrors, frames) that gets to be a challenge for operations while negotiating/executing turns.

 

The video shows an Orion VII as the bus in the incident. Question is has this particular model had similar problems in incidents past because there was a big uproar about safety concerns as to how buses are designed for operations.

 

Cue the pitchforks because I am about to play devil's advocate. While there have been similar incidents past in which the driver stayed at the scene (and have been arrested as per VZ), there are some folks who react differently when coming across gruesome events such as this (R I P to the lady). Unfortunately on all counts B/O made a (series of) poor choice, he'll have to do the Vision Zero protocol, and he's going to be experiencing all manner of hell to say the least.

[SubBus]

Well the from the front page of the Daily News, it doesn't look good for the driver. I feel bad for Ms. Bell, as my mom is the same age and walk slow, although without a walker.....

[ttcsubwayfan]

Wow, what a horrible story. RIP to Ms. Bell.

 

My question is, why did the second driver not know the bus had been in the accident? The witness describes, in quite gruesome detail, the accident, you mean to tell me there wasn't a single mark on the bus? This doesn't make sense.

[46Dover]

Wow, what a horrible story. RIP to Ms. Bell.

My question is, why did the second driver not know the bus had been in the accident? The witness describes, in quite gruesome detail, the accident, you mean to tell me there wasn't a single mark on the bus? This doesn't make sense.

He would've seen something during the pre-trip inspection