RTD Bus Driver Is Cleared in Death of Motorcyclist : Investigation: Police say Teresa LaBarba ‘had no idea’ that she had run over a fallen man, but the agency disputes that the vehicle ran over anybody.

An RTD bus driver arrested earlier this month for allegedly running over and killing a fallen motorcycle rider in Canoga Park has been cleared of wrongdoing, prosecutors said Thursday.

The police investigation into the Nov. 14 accident was hampered because four of the five passengers on the bus at the time gave false names, addresses or phone numbers to bus driver Teresa LaBarba, making it impossible for officers to interview them, Deputy Dist. Atty. James A. Baker said.

The one passenger police were able to reach, however, confirmed LaBarba’s version of the story, saying the bus ride was so rough and its interior so noisy that no one on board realized the bus had run over the fallen motorcyclist, Eric Edwards, 20, of Canoga Park.

Baker said it was concluded that Edwards was responsible for the accident.

Edwards was exceeding the speed limit as he drove between lanes on Topanga Canyon Boulevard near Canoga Park High School when he hit a brown van on his left and fell to the right under the wheels of the bus, Baker said. Riding between lanes on a motorcycle is legal under state law.

In accordance with RTD regulations, LaBarba, an RTD driver for seven years, stopped at the scene of the accident after seeing Edwards fall and took statements from the five passengers, Baker said. LaBarba radioed a dispatcher, who gave the bus driver permission to leave, Baker said.

Officers later arrested LaBarba on suspicion of manslaughter for leaving before police had arrived. Police said at the time that she could face additional hit-and-run charges, but Baker said the district attorney’s office has decided not to charge her.

“She has been completely cleared--she had no idea she ran over the motorcyclist,” Baker said.

But RTD officials dispute that the bus ran over Edwards.

“There’s a liability matter here,” RTD spokesman Jim Smart said. “We are not admitting that the bus ran over that gentleman.”