2 Killed, 3 Injured in Portland Transit Bus Accident
Wrongful Death, wrongful death lawyer
April 26th, 2010: Law Blogger
A TriMet bus was turning from westbound Glisan Street onto southbound Broadway Boulevard in Portland, OR, just before midnight on Saturday. As the bus turned southbound, it collided with the group of pedestrians who were crossing Broadway.
When officers arrived at the crash scene, they found several people trapped beneath the bus. Paramedics removed the pedestrians from under it, but Jenee Hammel, 26, and Danielle Sale, 22 were pronounced dead at the scene.
Hammel’s 28-year-old brother, Ryan, and her sister-in-law, 23-year-old Jamie Hammel, each suffered minor injuries in the crash. A fifth person hit by the bus, 22-year-old Robert Gittings, was listed suffered serious personal injuries at Legacy Emanuel Hospital on Sunday night.
Speed wasn’t a factor in the bus accident, police said, and the bus driver has cooperated with investigators, police spokesman said it
The bus driver, Sandi Day, 48, was hired in October 2007. She was not hurt and was not arrested. The bus was empty when the accident occurred.
A man who lives nearby set up a makeshift memorial at the crash scene Sunday morning. ”It’s devastating,” he said. “It’s an area where one can get hit. Even if the lights say walk, you look.”
Since 1988, Hammel and Sale are the 32nd and 33rd people to die after an accident involving a TriMet bus. TriMet did not release how many people have been personally injured in a bus accident since that time.
Transit bus accidents are rare, but when they happen they can be tragic. Just last month a man was crippled in a Seattle bus accident involving a Metro Transit bus. Bus drivers are highly trained and remain extremely careful, but they are human beings and prone to fatigue or personal issues that may distract their attention momentarily. That’s all it takes for tragedy to happen.
If you or someone you know is hit by a bus some of the best advice you can get is to find a personal injury lawyer that is experienced in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. They can help you with the insurance companies, the hospitals, and other legal professionals for the company that caused the accident. Call Phillips Webster for a consultation to your legal options.
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