SACRAMENTO COUNTY—
Fatal confusion in the midst of the Monday evening commute, forcing California Highway Patrol officers to sort out how bus drove over a woman on her bike.
“She was riding her bike and she was just, not on the sidewalk, out there just moving the tires … and she just turned the wheel back this way, and the bus was going by and just ran her over and sucked her up under and ran her over,” said Chevron gas station employee Edward Russell.
That’s what Russell saw as his station’s surveillance cameras captured the last moments of the 51-year-old Hispanic woman’s life.
“All the blood and everything was down there and they put the tarp over her,” he said.
“The bus was doing normal, going with the green light. If this person had been on the sidewalk this never would have happened from what we seen on the security camera.”
Regional Transit bus 2875 was headed east on Florin Road in this unincorporated part of Sacramento County when something went wrong around 6:10 p.m.
Investigators say they’re still not sure where the bike was at impact.
“We’re being told that it was possibly traveling eastbound with the bus. Based on video, it may have been traveling northbound,” said CHP officer Jennifer Taylor.
The driving history and name of the female RT operator are not being released at this time.
“Standard procedure is alcohol and drug testing for the operator,” said Alane Masui, spokesperson with Regional Transit.
As investigators search for answers, shocked folks who live nearby search for understanding.
“I ride a bike do this make me more aware. But I do have a helmet … possibly the bus at the last, didn’t see the light I don’t know … But it’s tragic either way it goes,” said Bingham.
CHP officers tell FOX40 that alcohol and drugs did not play a role in this crash.
The driver has been questioned and sent home as their investigation continues. There were about 8 passengers on the RT bus when the crash happened. None of them were injured
Identification was found on the body of the bicyclist, but her name has not be released.