Followup: Woman injured in Junction bus incident expected to survive

Continuing our coverage (which started an hour and a half ago in the WSB morning traffic report) of the 7:24 am Junction incident in which a Metro Route 50 bus hit and injured a woman: She is seriously hurt, according to Seattle Fire, but expected to survive, according to Seattle Police. SPD spokesperson Det. Patrick Michaud tells WSB that witnesses report the bus pulled up to the stop on eastbound Alaska just west of California, allowed people on and off, and then as they were pulling away, the woman – who had been “asleep on the sidewalk” – stood up, “stumbled into traffic right in front of the bus,” and was hit.

SPD’s Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is expected to be on the scene until 10 am or so; we’ll be checking so that we can update when the bus stop is open again. As noted in our traffic coverage, until then, the outbound stop on Alaska east of 44th is recommended.

9:38 AM UPDATE: Alaska is now open again in both directions. (The traffic cam at that intersection is among those featured on the WSB Traffic page.)

9:49 AM UPDATE: Metro has just sent out its “routes back to normal” alert.

3:48 PM UPDATE: The driver is 62 years old and has been with Metro for more than 13 years, according to spokesperson Jeff Switzer, responding to an inquiry we sent this morning. He adds, “The operator was relieved of duty pending post-accident testing. Based on preliminary information about this unfortunate incident, we expect the driver will likely be back to work in coming days.”

Brian October 13, 2014 (10:43 am)

It’d be nice if we had the capacity to make sure people aren’t sleeping on the sidewalks.
.
Not only would this incident have been avoided, but we’d also net the benefit of not having someone, ya know, asleep on the sidewalk.

payrollgirl October 13, 2014 (12:07 pm)

Asleep on the sidwalk…for whatever reason she had to sleep there it is so sad to see someone in those conditions but I hope she’ll be OK

Me mama October 13, 2014 (1:00 pm)

Do we need a shelter in WSEA? Seems like we’ve got an increasing homeless population here.

drahcir61 October 13, 2014 (3:08 pm)

Perhaps the latest West Seattle trend in micro-housing now includes bus stops & sidewalks.

ws October 13, 2014 (3:16 pm)

There is a shelter in WS its run by Holy Rosar . At some point people need to take responsibility for themselves. Just saying

West Seattle Hipster October 13, 2014 (5:06 pm)

Please, lets not blame this tragic incident on not having enough shelters for those who choose to live outside. Were ALL of the numerous shelters and encampments in Seattle at full capacity last night?.

I can only imagine what the misfortunate driver must be going through.

WSB October 13, 2014 (5:30 pm)

We don’t have ANY proof this person “chose to live outside” or lived outside because she had nowhere else to go OR that she lives/lived outside AT ALL. We know only that she was REPORTED to have been on the sidewalk. And that the bus came in contact with her. She is injured and is in the hospital. That’s where our knowledge ends and is likely to stay because a full report on this is weeks/months away. Everything we’ve been able to find out, from having been the first news crew on the scene to talking afterward with authorities including police and Metro, who replied to our request for an update on the driver, is in the story. – TR

miws October 13, 2014 (5:41 pm)

We don’t have ANY proof this person “chose to live outside” or lived outside because she had nowhere else to go OR that she lives/lived outside AT ALL.

Thank you, TR.

I’m also glad to hear that the preliminary info is suggesting that the Driver will soon be back on the job. As Mr. Switzer described, it truly sounds like an unfortunate incident.

Mike

Loretta October 13, 2014 (5:58 pm)

Maybe the unfortunate woman has narcolepsy.

patt October 13, 2014 (6:26 pm)

Thank You, WSB!!
I caught the bus there at 7:35AM, The poor woman was taken away by the time I got there.

Really!!!! Really!!!
I read some of these posted at lunch. Was going to say something about the tone and content when I got home. WSB said it better.

I hope someone checked to see if she was OK “while asleep on the sidewalk”.

Raincity October 13, 2014 (7:50 pm)

I came on the scene right after it happened and the compassion shown by the two women and man who helped her, called 911 and tried to comfort her was amazing. Let’s all show compassion for everyone affected by this terrible accident.

MG October 13, 2014 (8:30 pm)

My daughter was at the scene waiting for the bus when the accident happened. The woman was first lying on the side walk, apparently sleeping, but got up when the #50 bus approached. She seemed to be intoxicated, stumbling toward the back of the bus and banging the back door to get the driver’s attention, then lost her balance and fell under the bus when the unaware driver pulled out. It was an unfortunate accident. I’m glad that the woman survived.

Curious October 13, 2014 (9:57 pm)

Just curious as I know a few people who frequent the junction and have met a couple of the people who sleep there, is there any more information on the person who was hit? I’m hoping it’s not someone I know.

Tattoo October 13, 2014 (10:36 pm)

The buses come in so quick there, I would not have been surprised if she had been hit by a bus mirror while standing on the sidewalk– one of the most dangerous places in our neighborhood.

Ttt October 13, 2014 (10:38 pm)

I drove through there 10minutes prior and did not see anyone asleep or laying down on the sidewalk then…unfortunate.

evergreen October 14, 2014 (11:36 pm)

Poor woman, and poor bus driver. Two victims here. I hope both come out of this OK physically and emotionally.

Loretta October 17, 2014 (6:17 pm)

The woman could not have been banging on the back door. The bus has no back door. It is quite small and with only a front door. I take that bus but was off work that day. The driver is such a nice guy, he greets everybody and tries to say a little something to make them feel that he remembers them and is glad to see them.

Sorry, comment time is over.