Just before noon Wednesday, Madison Police officers were still responding to a crash scene at the corner of Lake Street and University Avenue after a Metro bus struck and killed a woman earlier in the morning.

Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said the woman was transferred to a local hospital following the incident. 

Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said the woman died at the hospital shortly after the accident. In a message to The Badger Herald, Resnick said the victim, Maureen Grant, was not a University of Wisconsin student, but was an employee at the university’s Memorial Library.

“I have learned she has passed, but I do not have any other details as to the identity of the girl,” Resnick said. “My deepest sympathies go out to her family and her loved ones–the scene was horrific this morning.”

According to an MPD incident report, the accident occurred at 8:54 a.m. as the pedestrian was moving northbound on University. The woman was walking within the crosswalk with a walk signal.

A Madison Metro bus turned left onto University from Lake and struck the woman, the report said.

A statement from the Madison Fire Department said the victim was found pinned under the bus when MFD arrived. The first MFD crew “used cribbing to stabilize the bus” while the second crew “used the Jaws of Life” to lift the bus off the woman.

DeSpain said it was premature to judge whether any citations would be given and said all parts of the accident were still under investigation.

As part of natural procedure, Resnick said the Metro driver was taken in for a blood detox scan.

“It is an ongoing investigation, so the bus driver, as a precautionary measure that doesn’t necessarily mean anything, was taken in for a blood detox scan to see if they were on anything,” Resnick said. “It’s procedural as a lot of considerations are in place given Metro and the possible legal implications that could result afterward.” 

Metro spokesperson Mick Rusch said Metro was cooperating with the investigation and had supervisors on the scene. He also confirmed the driver was taken for drug and alcohol testing because of a federal regulation that requires Metro to follow such procedures in this type of accident. 

Rusch said Metro is partaking in an “active investigation” and reviewing all possible materials that could explain how the accident occurred. 

“There is video on all buses and we are pulling that video to review exactly what has happened,” Rusch said. “The driver was interviewed by police and the bus has been impounded for inspection to make sure it was in proper working order.” 

The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the pedestrian’s death in a statement and said the case is being investigated by a team made up of MPD, the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office. 

Mayor Paul Soglin said the city will cooperate with a complete investigation and said his thoughts were with the victim’s family as well as the Metro bus driver and the Metro Transit Team because of Metro’s “exemplary safety record.”

The accident also created a backup in traffic in the area that was continuing into the early hours of the afternoon.

“We’re still diverting traffic from the area and [the intersection at] Lake and University is still closed for the investigation,” DeSpain said. “At this point, we do not know how much longer the area will be closed off.”

Identification of the victim is pending family notification.

Check back for further details as the story develops.