The driver involved in a fatal Madison Metro bus crash earlier this summer will not be charged, the Dane County District Attorney’s office announced Monday, after the office determined the driver had not been under the influence and the vehicle itself obstructed the driver’s view.
In June, Maureen Grant, 58, was struck and killed by a Madison Metro bus while crossing Lake Street to University Avenue. Grant was an employee at the Memorial Library.
Dane County DA Ismael Ozanne’s office said in a statement no charges would be pressed against Debra Foster, the Madison Metro driver. Foster was issued a citation for failing to yield to a pedestrian in connection with the incident earlier this summer.
One of the key factors in the decision was a blind spot on the bus, according to the statement. A reconstruction unit from the Wisconsin State Patrol determined the bus created a “significant” blind spot, which prevented Foster from seeing Grant until she was right next to the Metro bus.
The DA’s office reviewed a number of reports including those from the Madison Police Department, photos and video related to the crash and the State Patrol team that worked on reconstructing the crash before coming to a conclusion, the statement said.
Foster was also required to take a test to make sure she was not operating the bus under the influence at the time of the crash. Toxicology results came back clean, according to the statement from the DA’s office.
Madison Metro spokesperson Mick Rusch said they were not contacted when the DA’s office made the decision and are still working on an investigation.
Ozanne said while the bus company was not contacted during the investigation, he felt he had all the appropriate information to make the decision.
He said it is doubtful Madison Metro’s investigation results could change the outcome of the decision.
A statement released by Madison Metro shortly after the DA released his decision stressed the safety of the buses.
All vehicles and mirrors are updated to follow federal safety and industry standards, and Madison Metro drivers are trained to deal with the blind spots that are inherent with large vehicles, the statement said.
Madison Metro denied further comment in the statement, but Rusch said the bus company will announce when they plan to release the findings of their own internal investigation.
