StarBulletin.com

Woman killed when hit by bus


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POSTED: Tuesday, June 09, 2009

A 54-year-old Honolulu woman died yesterday after she was struck in Kalihi by a small Roberts Hawaii bus.

;[Preview]    Accident on Gulick Leaves Woman Dead
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A woman in her 50s was struck by a school bus at the intersection of Gulick Avenue and School Street.

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Police said the victim was crossing makai on North School Street in a marked crosswalk when she was hit by the bus, making a left turn from the mauka-bound lanes of Gulick Avenue at about 6:05 a.m.

Police said the bus, driven by a 35-year-old woman, was turning on a green light.

Police have not determined what the traffic control signal showed as the woman crossed the street.

Police said the woman suffered serious head injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:20 a.m., said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman of the Emergency Services Department.

The bus, which has a contract with the state Department of Education, was on its way to pick up nine special-education public school children.

There were no students on the bus when the accident occurred, said Sandy Goya, spokeswoman for the Department of Education.

Only the driver and an aide were on the bus, said Wally Zimmermann, spokesman for Roberts Hawaii Tours.

The driver underwent alcohol and drug testing after the accident. The alcohol test was negative. Results for the drug test are pending.

The driver has been with the company about two years and had a clear driving record, Zimmermann said. She was placed on leave while the company investigates the incident, a standard procedure for Roberts Hawaii, he said.