At Least 9 Hurt In Deadly Woodlawn MTA Bus Accident
WOODLAWN, Md. (WJZ) -- A terrifying crash in Woodlawn for riders on an MTA bus. All eight of them were taken to the hospital. Their driver is still in serious condition, and the driver of the other vehicle is dead.
Kai Jackson has more on the developing story.
Baltimore County Police identify the driver who was killed as 71-year-old Kirby Alexander Cooper Sr. of Woodlawn. Police have determined he was driving the wrong way on Woodlawn Drive when he crashed head-on into a MTA bus.
In the meantime, police and investigators with the MTA are underway investigating the case, while family members are left wondering why this happened.
Sky Eye Chopper 13 is above a devastating and fatal accident in Woodlawn.
Baltimore County Police say it happened around 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday when an MTA bus--with passengers--and pickup truck collide near the intersection of Woodlawn Drive and Parallel Drive next to the Social Security Administration headquarters.
"This is obviously a terrible tragedy and the public can rest assured that we're going to do everything we can to find out exactly what happened here," said Terry Owens, MTA spokesperson.
"Now the pickup truck is facing southbound in the wrong lane," Captain Jeff Long reported.
Sky Eye Chopper 13 is there with dramatic video as firefighters pull the driver, a man, from the wreckage of the massive MTA bus.
The agency says about eight passengers were on board and taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.
Baltimore County Police say Cooper died at the scene.
Distraught family members arrived later. None wanted to talk on camera--some worried Cooper may have had some type of heart condition, though the status of his health at the time of the accident was not released by authorities.
Baltimore County accident investigators were collecting evidence to determine how the accident happened.
In addition to questioning the driver, the MTA says there will be a thorough and mechanical examination of the bus involved in the crash.
"That vehicle will be towed back to base. And it will be gone over with a fine tooth comb," Owens said.
The MTA has not yet released any information about the bus driver.
Woodlawn Drive between Security Boulevard and Parallel Drive was closed for hours during the investigation.
