Ohio Bus Driver was on Phone When Hit Man

(AP)  An Ohio bus driver who had been fired and reinstated after an earlier accident was on her cell phone when her bus struck and killed a pedestrian in March, according to investigators.

Angela Williams, 49, of Cleveland, was indicted Thursday on a felony charge of aggravated vehicular homicide. If convicted, she could get up to five years in prison in the death of Patrick Merrill, 59, of suburban Berea.

He was struck in a crosswalk while the bus was making a left turn. It was the second fatal bus accident involving a pedestrian in a crosswalk in seven months in Cleveland.

Williams had been charged with a misdemeanor before the cell call was confirmed. Bus drivers in Cleveland are prohibited from using cell phones while behind the wheel.

Williams, who was fired, didn't immediately respond to a message left Friday at a phone listed in court records.

Williams, who was hired in 2003, was also fired after hitting a pedestrian in 2006, causing minor injuries. She returned to work after her union appealed the dismissal and an arbitrator ruled she should get her job back.

There was no immediate comment Friday from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268 on the circumstances of Williams' second accident. A message left at union offices seeking comment wasn't returned.

After the first fatal accident, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority ordered drivers to pause before making left turns. After the second death, the agency ordered drivers to honk before making left turns.

[barbaram99]

Jail/prisoms are full. The reason most won't use common senxe and manners/solal graces is they were/aren't taught them as they grow up. It is me myself and I mode that is wronh. We are tslking about the issue of the cell and yer driving. Yet driving and that what yer to do. Yer cell have voice mail doe it not, let it go to there. The bus driver was wrubg here as her cell should have been off. Hhe was on duty. Riders need to take a seat. When the bus is moving not talk to the driver. I ride the bus I tell the driver what stop I need. Before I board I ask the bus nunber if the right one board. I travel with a sighted friend. They took thr payphones out. take their drivibg away from them and that should send the messade. Ye have to tahe mass tranit. Taking their var away sends a strong message. Ye yak on the cell while drivibg. Good bye to yer car and licnese. Next

[ricklf1]

People are not going to stop texting or cell phoning while driving until the law gets tough on them. Fining them is not enough. When caught, Police should confisgate the device along with putting them in handcuffs and off to jail. Maybe that will stop a few of them

[barbaram99]

A bus driver yaking on the phone. She knew better. HANG UP THE PHONE. Yer task is to drive. It wnot multi tasking. My friend used to drive and hw hit certain age and we sat down and said yer not able to drive for health reasons and it was best he hot drive. He only had a licnense to drive used it to rent rental trucks. Safety first. I told him Yer driving days are over. He has med issues. We use the bus.
I hear d congress has put a ban in place and it is nation wide no texting while driving and should be yakking on the cell. I walk as well. I don't walk and yak on the phone. I can't as a blind person. I stop and answer my friend's call. It should not have to an act of congress in this matter. COMMON SENSE. Both men and women both do it. I hate them left turns. They won't look both ways. I told a pissed driver who was yelling his fool head off to read the white cane law. It is in all 59 states. I uae cross walks whrn they are there. In Seattle I am not comfortable with this as blind persons are taught to never do this. I have to cross not in frort of the bus as they cite the reason. I just wait for the pus to pass once get off. I will noe walk behind it. I took mobility training-whate cane travel years ago. Always cross in frort. It is not safe to go behine. I hate cars. Drive properly, Use common sense.

[lloydbest1]

I kind of like the idea of "DWD" - "Driving While Distracted".

If anyone drives erratically regardless if he is drunk/high, texting, arguing with the spouse/kids, fishing for a map in the glovebox, chugging a soft drink or a glass of water, on medication, or even struck down by something out of the blue; then the motorist should be subject to arrest, a fine and/or detention. If the distraction causes serious injury or a fatality then bring felony charges as appropriate. The only excuse would be an undiagnosed medical condition that is so instantly incapacitating or lethal that there is no time to pull off the road or do other mitigation.
Those who drive for a living should be especially mindful because one such incident could mean the loss of a livelihood.
Before anyone jumps on this and claims denial of freedoms or rights let me remind all that driving itself, even the possession of a license to do so, is only a privilege and not a right. Whether I agree with that or not is irrelavent; that point was emphasized ("hammered" is more like it) in my driver's manual and reiterated during every license renewal I have had since I got mine.

[Solarrays247]

"I kind of like the idea of 'DWD'-'Driving While Distracted'."


lloydbest1...and I kind of like your ideas as stated in your post! =)

Anyone who takes the life of another because of "Driving While Distracted" is denying the right to life of another.

Life = the most precious right of all!

[ffotoragg]

i agree with everybody so far--being a former cross country commercial team driver, i saw a LOT of s--t-, but the phone thing is totally and completely out of hand---and yes--HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DIE BEFORE CONGRESS BANS THE USE OF CELLPHONES WHILE DRIVING??????????????????? it's as if the world wasn't around until the cell phone was invented, and now people act as if they are just going to die if they can't make a phone call in their car----what the f--k, over?????

[brianbwb-2009]

Never happen, because every time a cell phone is used, the telcos make money.

If you think the NRA has big lobby bucks, you ain't seen nothing yet.

And it is not as if the world wasn't around, rather the existence of cell phones has made it necessary to be available, you may not die, but you just might become unemployed, which definitely brings death a lot closer to your door.

I understand your complaint, don't get me wrong, I simply posit that before cell phones, when you left work, or home, you were unavailable, so no one expected to be able to contact you. Now your boss expects you to answer the phone 24/7, even though you haven't gotten a raise to reflect the extra-curricular availability.

Decide you won't answer your calls, and your boss might be one of those trying to get you, and if the boss cannot, then the boss will replace you with someone who will answer the phone.

Yeah, that is modern life.

[DennisinSF]

Doesn't matter whether you're using your hands or "hands free" - it's the lack of 100% attention to your driving!. How many people have to die for this to be made illegal unless it's an emergency?

[mrscollins73]

bet you any money she's black and played the race card and that's how she got her job back. she MIGHT get UP TO 5 years?????? She deserves the damn death penalty

[ToolMangler1]

It never mentioned race, and we may never know unless Jackson or Sharpton get into the act. Was the victim Black?? It still doesn't matter, what does matter is the use of cellphones while driving. Texting is even worse.

[brianbwb-2009]

Since the story clearly indicates that it was arbitration between the company and her union that got her job back, and nowhere in the story is ethnicity mentioned, you have lost the bet.

You sold the ticket, now give the show. Since you bet "any money", go now and make a million dollar contribution to Moorehouse College, loser.

What is it with you kkk-ers? What is this "race card" that you all of a sudden seem so afraid of? What is exactly the definition of it?

If you think that a multi-million-dollar corporation, or a state-owned entity is going to change a legal policy because of the ethnicity of one member of an ethnic group, or if you think that such a "card" absolves those who break the law, I invite you to show one single instance where this has been the case, and I am talking about fact, not twisted, uneducated opinion.

You do know the difference, right?

[mack642004]

May I propose an eye for an eye? I say run the beach over with a bus until she stops twitching.