Focus turns to driver after deadly bus hit-and-run

CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- The investigation into the death of a pedestrian in Philadelphia is now centered on the driver of a tour bus.

Police say the victim was hit and dragged on the street, and the driver left the scene.

The driver has since been questioned by police, but he has not been charged.

The huge tour bus was making a left turn from Race onto North Franklin Street on Tuesday. 46-year-old Joseph Heard was in the cross walk, three quarters of the way across when he was hit by the right front of the bus and dragged 50 feet before he was crushed by the rear wheels.

Philadelphia Police Captain John Wilczynski says, "The driver's just telling that he was on that route, he goes that route every day, and he didn't realize anything had happened."

That driver has now been identified as 66-year-old Walter Jefferson of North Philadelphia. Police say he is cooperating.

Police say it's not clear why Jefferson didn't see the pedestrian in the cross walk. They say he should also have felt something when the rear wheels of the bus ran over the victim.

Investigators could see the incident on surveillance video from police headquarters across the street.

"After impact, a few feet up, it does show a little arching up on the right hand side. Yes," Captain Wilczynski said.

The bus just kept on going, taking a group of 19 Chinese tourists to Washington D.C.

Police impounded the bus when it returned. They say the driver has a valid commercial driver's license and only one recent infraction.

"He had a moving violation in 2012, I believe. It was like a failure to yield. That's it. And he paid it, and he took care of it," Wilczynski said.

Joseph Heard, who lives in South Philadelphia, had been on his way to a kidney dialysis appointment. Police found a pair of headphones at the scene, and it's possible he never saw or heard the bus coming.

And police say it's possible Jefferson's view was blocked by the right side windshield pillar as he made the turn. In addition, they are going after his cell phone records.

"We're getting a search warrant for his phone records, and that will take some time. And that will reveal if there was any texting or calling or anything like that." Wilczynski said.

At the least, Jefferson will be cited for negligence. But it may take weeks, or even months, to determine if he'll also face criminal charges.