A woman was in critical condition after an RTD bus struck her while making an illegal turn Thursday morning in downtown Denver.
Bus driver Bill Roether was cited for turning from the wrong position and not exercising due care, according to police officer Damon C. Landingham.
The woman, whose identity has not been released, was taken to Denver Health Medical Center with head injuries after the 7:25 a.m. collision, Landingham said.
State Capitol groundskeepers Marcelino Spagnuolo and Derek Mastay were waiting to cross East 14th Avenue when they saw the eastbound bus turning from the middle lane of 14th, a one- way street, north onto Lincoln Street, also a one-way street.
A woman they estimated to be in her late 50s or early 60s, wearing an employee badge around her neck, was eastbound across Lincoln, carrying several bags, the workers said.
“It was an illegal turn,” Mastay said. “She was almost all the way across. She didn’t see the bus until it was inches from her.”
“She screamed just before the bus hit her,” Spagnuolo said.
The woman flew backward after the bus hit her on the back of the head, he said. It was going about 10 mph, he said.
The driver didn’t see her until he was right on top of her and couldn’t stop, Landingham said.
He said the woman had the right of way.
The Regional Transportation District is conducting an independent investigation, spokeswoman Georgann Fisher said. The bus driver was placed on leave pending the outcome.
“She did have a walk sign,” Fisher said of the victim.
Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-820-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.
