An elderly woman was killed by an MTA bus when she crossed the street in
Brooklyn and the bus driver cannot face criminal charges because of a
deal reached by the Union and the City of the New York.
Hit and Run bus Driver with Criminal Past
Carol Bell, 70 years old, was crossing the street in broad daylight when
she was hit by an MTA bus, pinned under the vehicle’s rear wheel
and literally torn apart. Her mangled, lifeless body was left in the middle
of the street as the bus driver simply drove away.
The bus driver, a 15 year employee of the MTA, had a lengthy criminal history,
including arrests for possession of drugs and felony assault. The MTA
admitted that it knew about his arrest history, but kept him behind the wheel.
Despite onlookers hearing the impact, the bus driver did not stop the bus.
His attorney said in a statement that the driver did not see the woman
because she was in his blind spot.
Bus DriverS Exempt from criminal Liability
In September, the MTA bus drivers’ union reached a settlement with
the City of New York exempting bus operators from criminal charges if
they hit a pedestrian who has the right of way. The deal was reached after
the Union complained that bus drivers were under attack and being charged
liked criminals when they hit and kill pedestrians with the right of way.