Local News in Brief : Woman Slips to Death Under Bus at Airport

Awoman who had pounded on the side of a Rapid Transit District bus in an apparent attempt to get the driver’s attention died Friday when she fell beneath the vehicle’s rear wheels, police said.

The accident occurred as the bus was entering Burbank Airport and is being investigated by the RTD and the Burbank police. But Police Sgt. Joe Latta said the woman apparently slipped beneath the wheels accidentally.

“There’s not anything there that indicates wrongfulness from RTD,” Latta said.

The name of the victim, a 31-year-old Los Angeles resident, was not disclosed pending notification of relatives.

The bus driver, whose name was also not disclosed, told police he never saw the woman who waved to him about 4:45 p.m. from underneath a bus shelter at the corner of Hollywood Way and Thornton Avenue, near an entry road to Burbank Airport, Latta said.

According to several witnesses on and off the bus, the driver drove past the woman, Latta said. As the bus swerved north onto the airport entry road, the woman stepped from the curb, briefly ran alongside and pounded on the right side near the rear door before slipping under the wheels, Latta said.

She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, he said.

In accordance with RTD policy, the driver submitted to a drug test Friday at Burbank Community Hospital, Sgt. Mike Keeffe said.

Results were not available Friday, but Latta said, “There’s no indication of a problem” involving intoxication.