Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 9, 2006

Pedestrian killed by Metrobus

A female pedestrian died last night after being struck by a Metrobus in Northwest Washington.

The 11 p.m. accident took place at Jenifer Street and Wisconsin Avenue near the Friendship Heights Metrorail station entrance. The driver of bus 3916 had left the Western bus garage and was headed to Dupont Circle to start the D2 route, which runs between Glover Park and Dupont Circle. She was making a right turn onto Wisconsin Avenue when she struck the pedestrian. Emergency medical personnel removed the woman from under the 30-foot long bus, and she died shortly after leaving the scene.

"This is a very sad and regrettable accident. I want to express my personal sympathy to the family of the woman who died for their loss," said Dan Tangherlini, interim general manager. "As we do in any situation like this, we’ll be providing the bus operator with support though our employee assistance program."

The driver has worked for Metro for nearly four years. She is on paid leave pending the results of a standard drug and alcohol testing and an internal investigation. D.C. police are investigating the accident.

There have been 4 other pedestrian related fatalities involving Metrobus in the last year and a half.

News release issued on June 9, 2006.