Woman struck and killed by SEPTA bus in Germantown, no other vehicle involved: Police

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A woman died after being struck by a SEPTA bus Wednesday night, according to Philadelphia police.

It happened around 9:21 p.m. on the 100 block of West Walnut Lane near Greene Street in the city's Germantown section.

Police said the 71-year-old victim was walking in the crosswalk southbound across Greene.

At that time, police said the SEPTA bus being driven by a 63-year-old man was in the travel lane dropping off passengers.

The bus driver traveled eastbound on Walnut Lane and struck the woman with the passenger side front corner of the bus causing her to fall to the ground.

Police said after being hit, she was dragged from the intersection.

The 63SEPTA bus driver stopped and pulled over, police said.

"She had been dragged a considerable distance; in fact, one of her shoes is closer to the intersection and another is approximately 50 to 60 feet down the road. Based on the evidence on scene, it does appear that she was dragged," Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace said.

First responders including the Philadelphia Fire Department found the woman unresponsive on the roadway. CPR was performed at the scene.

The woman was then taken to Einstein Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

Police were getting conflicting statements from witnesses at the scene.

Some indicated another vehicle may have hit the victim before the SEPTA bus and then left the scene, while others said they believe it was only the SEPTA bus that struck her.

Police later confirmed the woman was not struck by a fleeing vehicle prior to being hit by the SEPTA bus.

Investigators have obtained footage from the SEPTA bus and are working to sort out the chain of events.

"A lot of unanswered questions. And even the video footage is not the clearest with respect to showing us exactly what happened," Pace said.

Police said the SEPTA bus driver and witnesses are traumatized by the fatal crash.

The woman has not been identified, but police said she lived less than a block from the scene.

"The trauma, you don't have to witness the trauma to be traumatized," said Laton Macklin.

Macklin said she did not see the accident, but she'll never forget the aftermath.

"It was the most traumatic scene that I've ever seen in my life," Macklin said.

Macklin said she drove by the SEPTA bus before emergency crews arrived.

"I called 911," Macklin said. "I just send prayers to their family. I feel so bad for somebody to pass away like that; it's just really, really sad."