Last fatal accident for Big Blue Bus was in ’02
The identity is not yet known of a woman who was killed after being struck by a Big Blue Bus last week.
The Los Angeles Department of the Coroner has not yet conducted an autopsy on the Hispanic woman, who is believed to be in her 40s and possibly either a transient or an illegal immigrant, said Lt. Cheryl MacWillie, who works in the coroner’s office. Investigators also haven’t been able to contact her family, which leaves her identity still unknown.
“We have requested a report from the Santa Monica Police Department,” MacWillie said. “We’re still trying to get the details.”
At about 7:55 a.m. on Friday, April 29, the bus was driving westbound on Pico Boulevard and had stopped for a red light at Ocean Avenue. When the traffic signal for westbound traffic turned green, the bus waited for a pedestrian to cross Ocean Avenue to the west. After the pedestrian had crossed, the bus made a right turn and struck the woman, who was attempting to cross Ocean Avenue. Apparently, the right rear wheel crushed the woman, who suffered a broken pelvis and head trauma, MacWillie said.
The woman was transported to a UCLA-Westwood Medical Center, where she later died. The driver was released at the scene and is currently taking time off, said Big Blue Bus spokesman Joe Stitcher. The bus company isn’t releasing the name of the driver because the investigation is ongoing.
The last time the Big Blue Bus was involved in an fatal accident was in 2002, when three people died in two separate accidents within a week of each other. In July of 2002, a car pulled out in front of a bus on Manchester Avenue from Sepulveda Westway. Two people died in the accident. The bus was on route No. 3, which goes from the Los Angeles International Airport to Santa Monica.
Then a week later, a 70-year-old homeless man was struck by a Big Blue Bus as he attempted to cross Ocean Avenue at Broadway.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 4, 2005. Read the original PDF.