DETROIT (WWJ) - A Detroit bus driver is now facing charges after she fatally ran over a 67-year-old woman as she was crossing the street in Downtown Detroit last month.
Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Geraldine Johnson, 59, of Detroit, with one count of moving violation causing death in the death of 67-year-old Janice Bauer of Grosse Pointe Park.
She was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in 36th District Court and given a $25,000 cash bond with a GPS tether and placed under house arrest. A bond redetermination hearing is scheduled for Friday.
Johnson has 26 years of service with the Detroit Department of Transportation, according to city spokesman John Roach.
She was behind the wheel on June 2, according to the prosecutor's office , when she allegedly hit the Bauer in the crosswalk while making a left turn at the West Congress and Griswold Street intersection just after 7:30 a.m.
Emergency crews responded quickly, but were unable to revive Bauer. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the official statement, Roach said any time a DDOT bus is involved in a crash, the driver is immediately taken off the road and a full internal investigation is completed. Per Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations, drug and alcohol testing of the driver is also performed.
Investigators added that there were no witnesses and while one passenger was onboard the bus, they left once the crash happened.
"The bus driver is traumatized," police officials said on the day of the incident. "Unfortunately, this was an unfortunate incident down here. It's a very tragic situation. Nobody expected it. Nothing was intentional. Just really hard to have to deal with."
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Roach said in a written statement that city officials have begun a "full internal review as to whether the city has the proper internal and labor relations processes in place to prevent accidents involving the city’s bus operators."
The review will be conducted by Senior Advisor and Counsel Hassan Beydouny to look into what can be done in the future to prevent similar tragedies.
The Detroit Police Department Fatal Squad conducted the crash investigation. The final report was forwarded to Worthy's office which brought forth charges in the case.
“This case is tragic on every level," Worthy said of the incident. "Janice Bauer lost her life. The alleged facts are that defendant, Geraldine Johnson, literally ran her over with the city bus she was driving and caused her death."