Police say victim in Main Street crash Thursday was 49-year-old DARTS bus driver - Action News
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Hamilton

Police say victim in Main Street crash Thursday was 49-year-old DARTS bus driver

Hamilton police say the victim from the crash on Main Street on Thursday is a 49-year-old DARTS bus driver. It marks the 10th pedestrian death in a collision this year, 10 pedestrian deaths in 18 weeks.

Police rule out impairment as cause of crash, release 75-year-old driver pending further investigation

Police say the 49-year-old driver of a DARTS bus died from the crash on Thursday. (Dan Taekema/CBC)

Hamilton police say the victim from the crash on Main Street on Thursday is a 49-year-old DARTS bus driver.

DARTS is a non-profit service that provides accessible transit in the city.

Police say the bus driver stopped to pick up a passenger on Main Street West near Locke Street South at roughly 2 p.m. ET when a 75-year-old driving a 2012 Honda Civic left the road, hit a building and then the 49-year-old as she was exitingthe bus.

Tina Sousa, DARTS executive assistant, said in a statement to CBC Hamilton thatthe driver was preparing to load apassenger into the vehicle when she was hit. No passengers were involved in the collision, Sousa added.

"The driver was a valued member of the DARTS family for over 19 years and will be missed. She touched the lives of many passengers and coworkers and the organization is grieving her loss. We send our condolences to her family and loved ones," Sousa said.

A witness who saw the crash described it as a "tornado"-like scene.

"It's disturbing," Richard Newsometold CBC Hamilton."It's the worst accident I've seen."

The bus driver was taken to hospital and died of her injuries, and the 75-year-old Honda Civic driver was uninjured, police say.

CUPE Local 5167 said online that the bus driver was one of its members.

"It is with a heavy heart that we send our deepest condolences to the family and DARTS family," read the tweet.

Police saidthe Honda driver wasn't impaired and wasreleased pending further investigation.

A spokesperson for theMinistry of Labour said Thursday ithad two inspectors visit the scene after receiving reports a worker had beenhit by a vehicle. Its investigation is ongoing.

The crash promptedWard 3Coun. Nrinder Nann to tweet that she and Ward 1 Coun. Maureen Wilson are working on a motion to address Hamilton's "killer streets."

City councillorsalso voted on Wednesday to review recommendations in the Bay Area Climate Change Council 's report on how to make cycling, public transit and walking safer and more accessible.

With files from Dan Taekema