1 dead, 2 hurt in Phoenix bus crash
PHOENIX - One person was killed and two people were injured in a crash involving a bus on Monday morning in west Phoenix at a transit center.
The crash happened on Oct. 7 near 79th Avenue and Van Buren Street.
Phoenix Fire says two people were pulled from the crash and taken to a hospital in critical condition. A third person, 59-year-old George Meletis, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Phoenix Police do not suspect any foul play in the crash. So far, all the evidence points to a tragic accident which involved three employees of Transdev, a business whose bus drivers are contracted by the city of Phoenix.
The city of Phoenix Public Transit Department released a statement saying, "We express our deepest condolences to the family of the individual whose life was lost today in this tragic event. Safety continues to be our top priority and we will continue working with our contractor, Transdev, and Phoenix Police as needed."
‘Does not appear that there is any type of foul play’
Phoenix Police Sgt. Phil Krynsky says officers learned about what happened shortly after arriving at the site.
"While they were conducting their initial checks, two employees inside the van turned their vehicle on, the vehicle went on and collided with another employee in the parking lot," Sgt. Krynsky said.
After collecting evidence and speaking to witnesses, detectives didn’t suspect a crime was committed.
"At this time it does not appear that there is any type of foul play or any type of criminal conduct. Again, the charging decisions are always weighed at the end of the investigation," Sgt. Krynsky said.
Police are currently considering the medical records of those involved, surveillance video, and any kind of black box that might be in the bus to determine more about how and why this happened.
The Arizona division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) are going through the scene. Those investigators will comb through looking for violations.
FOX 10 reached out to Transdev to see if it could share more about the vehicle checks and the job titles of the employees involved, but has not heard back.