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CapitalMetro bus kills cyclist on campus

Dennis Taylor

By Dennis Taylor
in Daily Texan

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Dennis Taylor

Dennis Taylor 19107

Posted
Posted (edited)

SIAP, I didn't see a thread

 

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/bus-rider-shares-details-that-lead-to-fatal-crash-with-cyclist/1734327895

 

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AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Capital Metro bus passenger painted a chilling picture of chaos and panic after a bus hit and killed a cyclist on the University of Texas at Austin campus, late Monday night.

The crash took place at about 10:30 p.m. just south of 23rd Street on San Jacinto Blvd. The bus and cyclist were both headed in the same direction when the crash occurred, according to University of Texas Police Chief David Carter. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Eight people were on the bus at the time of the wreck and none were injured. Caitlin Mitchell was one of them.

Mitchell told KXAN she rides the bus every day. She said she usually recognizes the bus drivers on her route. But on Monday night, Mitchell claims she didn't know the woman behind the wheel.

"She was drunk or she was crazy or something. She was not normal. I could feel it the whole time I was on the bus," Mitchell said. "She was all over the place. One second she'd be 34 miles per hour, then 17 miles per hour, then 21 miles per hour. There was nothing steadfast about it."

CapMetro officials wouldn't reveal the bus driver's identity or how long she'd been employed there but they did say she was tested for drugs and alcohol immediately after the crash as is standard procedure. The results of those tests are not yet available. Chief Carter told KXAN the driver was cooperating with police on investigations. 

In a statement to the press Monday morning, CapMetro officials wrote:

"Capital Metro does not speculate on the causes of crashes or incidents. Our protocol is to work with our service providers on conducting an internal investigation, and we are cooperating fully with UTPD and APD in their investigation. The Capital Metro family extends our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of the deceased." 

Mitchell told KXAN she was seated near the front of the bus and had noticed the driver behaving strangely and talking to herself.

The passengers noticed when the driver allegedly sped towards the bicyclist, Mitchell said. "We kept screaming no, stop, lady! Stop, lady! And she just ran him over."

Mitchell says chaos and panic ensued as passengers sitting in the back of the bus flew out of their seats. "Someone said 'call the cops,' so I called the cops and I got off the bus and I was talking to the cops and I looked under the bus and there was the dead body," Mitchell said. 

UT Police say Student Emergency Services is offering support to any student affected by this crash. UT employees are urged to reach out to UTPD's Victims Advocate Network for support.

KXAN has requested the dashcam footage from this crash. 

 

 

Edited by Dennis Taylor
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bschoolprof

bschoolprof 6281

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"She was drunk or she was crazy or something. She was not normal. I could feel it the whole time I was on the bus," Mitchell said. "She was all over the place. One second she'd be 34 miles per hour, then 17 miles per hour, then 21 miles per hour. There was nothing steadfast about it."

Props to her for using the word 'steadfast.' Very solid.  

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gsoda3

gsoda3 3317

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44 minutes ago, Deej said:

Passenger was very specific on the speeds. 34 mph, 17mph, 21 mph. Impressive skill. 

getting up to 34 mph on that route, especially on that stretch of san jac, is hard to do.  i wonder if she was recalling specific numbers she saw or if she was using them as an example of what it felt like.

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NorthLoop

NorthLoop 14308

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"She was drunk or she was crazy or something. She was not normal. I could feel it the whole time I was on the bus," Mitchell said. "She was all over the place. One second she'd be 34 miles per hour, then 17 miles per hour, then 21 miles per hour. There was nothing steadfast about it."

 

Mitchell told KXAN she was seated near the front of the bus and had noticed the driver behaving strangely and talking to herself.

This girl hasn't ridden Cap Metro very much if she thinks this is unusual driver behavior. 

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BottleRocket

BottleRocket 655

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41 minutes ago, TXLNGHRN10 said:

As someone who drives down Guadalupe and MLK daily this hits close to home.
The metro drivers are terrible. They'll run red lights, cut you off and swerve into your lane all the time

 

2nd'd - I drive South down Guadalupe to Cesar Chavez every day and those Cap Metro drivers are fucking aggressive and dangerous.  They cut you off and swerve into your lane just as you describe.  Almost every day I have to remain steadfast and give them wide berth - steadfastily.  

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MissingInAction

MissingInAction 25331

Posted
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39 minutes ago, SuingToGetAMessageBoard? said:

sorry.  thems the facts:  either crash_davis personally needs to go work for Cap Metro, or be happy about homicidal maniacs mowing down bikers.

I'd work for them but that wouldn't solve the homicidal maniac problem they have.

Edited by MissingInAction
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justinjc7

justinjc7 153

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This is not surprising at all to hear, most of the bus drivers there drive like complete lunatics.  I remember taking the West Campus bus to and from campus while I was going to school there and was often amazed at how recklessly they were driving.  

I was actually on a bus that struck a bike rider one time, although in this case, it was the bike riders fault and not the bus driver's.  I was taking the West Campus bus home from campus one day, we were crossing Guadalupe over to WC right by where the Burger King used to be (now it's an In-N-Out) and right as were about to cross the crosswalk on the Burger King side, some idiot on a bike decides to ignore that the crosswalk sign says don't cross and doesn't look to see if a car is coming and the bus I was on struck him as soon as he left the sidewalk and into the street.  I was standing on the bus and was looking directly forward out the front and I can still see the split-second look of sheer horror in the dude's face as he turned around and saw the bus right before it smacked him and can still hear the loud thud.  The bike ended up a tangled mess under the bus but luckily the rider got away with probably nothing more than a concussion and a few bumps and bruises. 

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justinjc7

justinjc7 153

Posted
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3 minutes ago, hayden_horn said:

obligatory:

 

Depending on the day, when I wasn't taking the West Campus bus home, I would cross this crosswalk on my walk back home.  I was there about 5-10 minutes before this happened, wish I would have stuck around a little longer.  Considering this, coupled with the story I just posted above, I definitely became more wary of my surroundings on my walks home to avoid being on the receiving end of one of those buses

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MissingInAction

MissingInAction 25331

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I saw a cyclist get crushed because he was going straight, and the buss was turning right. The cyclist, having obviously failed physics, did not yield the right of way to the bus and got tangled up in the wheel well. Last i saw of him was his arm slapping the side of the bus, then just red and pink paste across the street. 

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