Mother still searching for answers after son dragged by RTD bus in Aurora

One year after her son was dragged by a Regional Transportation District bus in Aurora, Brigette Jones is still looking for answers. On Saturday, she spent her afternoon holding a walk in honor of her son.

On Nov. 15, 2024, at 10:45 in the evening, she says she heard through the grapevine that her son Joseph Jones was getting dinner near South Sable Boulevard and East Second Avenue in Aurora.

"He was walking across the street, singing," shared Jones.

But that's all she knows about his last moments.

"My son's voice was silenced," said Jones.

According to an Aurora Police Department investigation, despite witness statements alleging that Joseph Jones was hit, possibly by a white car, which fled the scene, police have no evidence to indicate another vehicle was involved. Officers said the roadway was closed for several hours while evidence was collected. 

Sometime after that, an RTD bus then hit the 40-year-old and dragged his body 1,000 feet. The bus never stopped. 

"The pain of just seeing a bus go by and imagining my son under there. It's hard even driving by buses. The hurt, the anger and just the thought that this could be anyone's child," said Jones.

According to Aurora police, the area was dark, with no crosswalk, and Jones was wearing dark clothing. Investigators said the bus driver continued on the route, seemingly unaware of the collision. 

That's when bystanders found what was left of Joseph Jones.

"People were devastated by this scene. They wanted to know, 'Who was this man that was absolutely mutilated?'" said Jones.

But unless you knew the Jones family, you would likely never know. Brigette says there was little media coverage and no posts on social media about it. APD says they did send out a media notification text.

"Why wasn't this brought to the community? And how did all this just get pushed to the side?" said Jones. "I still want justice."

Now, a year later, Brigette says she wants answers and accountability. APD wrapped up their investigation without being able to find the car that initially hit Joseph Jones. The RTD driver was never charged or cited. In fact, Brigette says the only person ever cited was her son Joseph Jones for jaywalking.

Aurora police said in a statement: Investigators searched extensively for any sign that another vehicle may have hit Jones before the RTD bus. This included checking the roadway for debris or skid marks, canvassing for additional surveillance footage, reviewing nearby traffic cameras, and investigators even went as far as to track down vehicles seen in the area and examine them for damages. No evidence was found to indicate any other vehicle was involved.

One pedestrian witness reported hearing a noise and seeing a white truck nearby, but investigators were unable to locate a vehicle matching the description and no roadway evidence supported that a collision occurred prior to the bus. 

Brigette is suing RTD and the bus driver who hit her son to try to hold them accountable, and she's on an awareness campaign. She's hoping someone will come forward and provide information that will solve the case.

"I don't want this to happen to anybody else. Anybody could be walking across the street, and this could happen," said Jones.

Brigette and her attorneys say the bus driver who was operating the bus that hit Joseph Jones no longer works for RTD. In a statement, RTD says, 

"On Nov. 15, 2024, a bus was involved in an accident with a pedestrian, and a subsequent investigation determined that RTD was not at fault. The safety of RTD's customers and employees is paramount, and the agency remains committed to providing safe operations through continuous trainings and refresher programs. Our thoughts go out to the victim's family and all those affected by this tragic incident."

Aurora police also said that "toxicology results later showed evidence of drugs and alcohol in Jones's system."

Police also said in the statement, "This case has been closed and there is no evidence to support any further criminal investigation. We remain sympathetic to the family's loss and have communicated these findings to them directly."