Detroit Bus Driver Faces Backlash Following 2nd Pedestrian Fatality

A bus driver is once again in the spotlight after hitting and killing a pedestrian in downtown Detroit. This marks another tragic pedestrian fatality connected to the same driver within the past eight years.

Wait, another pedestrian? Yes, this isn't the first fatality associated with this bus driver. In fact, it's the second pedestrian fatality caused by the same driver within an eight-year period.

On June 2nd, 59-year-old Geraldine Johnson hit and fatally injured a woman crossing a downtown street during a green light while making a left turn.

How does something like this happen not once but twice?

According to Up North Live, in 2015, the city settled a lawsuit for $4.5 million following the death of a man who was struck by a vehicle after disembarking from a Detroit bus while attempting to retrieve a bike from the front rack.

Get our free mobile app

Even though this driver had 26 years of bus driving experience, she was still allowed to drive despite having numerous crashes on her record. Oh yeah, she had multiple crashes on top of the two fatalities cases. Fox 2 Detroit reports that her driving record shows numerous crashes involving either buses or personal vehicles in 2018, two in 2019, one in 2020, one in 2021, and one in 2022.

It's disgusting that the company she was working for allowed her to continue driving after all of those crashes. If they were unaware of her driving record, then shame on them. They need to step it up and do better.

Following the recent incident, Johnson was terminated from her job and has been charged with the death of Janice Bauer, 67