A woman was struck and killed by a chartered school bus while walking near the Long Beach courthouse Saturday morning, officials said.
Police responded to the scene at Third Street and Magnolia Avenue at about 11:16 a.m. where they found the woman trapped under the bus. Paramedics also responded to treat the woman, but she succumbed to her injuries, LBPD Lt. James Richardson said.
She was identified as 71-year-old Mamlekat Joseph of Long Beach.
A pair of tennis shoes and some personal items were left scattered in the street behind the school bus as police were documenting the scene Saturday afternoon.
The woman was crossing 3rd Street, south on the west side of Magnolia Avenue, according to authorities.
“She waited at the “DON’T WALK” signal for the light to change and began to cross the street with the “WALK” signal,” officials said.
While crossing in the marked crosswalk, she was struck by the driver of a 2002 Bluebird bus, who was traveling north on Magnolia Avenue, turning left onto 3rd Street, according to officials.
There were no passengers aboard the bus when the crash happened, according to Richardson. The bus was privately chartered and not related to any school, he said.
The bus driver, a 25-year-old Van Nuys man remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, Richardson said. Authorities said neither, alcohol, drugs nor distracted driving were a factor in the crash. He also had a valid commercial driver’s license and proof of insurance.
Detectives are still investigating the cause of the crash, he said.
Anyone who may have information regarding this incident is asked to call Long Beach Police Department Collision Investigation Detail Detective Steve Fox at 562-570-7110.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more details about the incident and the victim’s identification.
