Husband killed, wife stable after SEPTA bus strikes couple crossing street in South Philadelphia
A man is dead and a woman was rushed to the hospital after they were hit by a SEPTA bus in South Philadelphia Friday evening, according to SEPTA officials.
The transit company said the pedestrians, who were a married couple, were struck just before 7 p.m. at Front Street and Washington Avenue.
The man and his wife were attempting to cross the street, heading northbound on Front Street. At the same time, a SEPTA bus was making a turn off of Front Street heading westbound when it struck the couple, according to police.
Lt. Gregory Brown with the Philadelphia Police Department's Crash Investigation Division said the husband was struck and the impact sent him underneath the bus.
"He was struck and came under the bus and was drug and the wife was hit also by the bus," Brown told members of the media Friday night.
A nearby sergeant was able to get the man out from underneath the bus with help from another person and began administering CPR but was unable to revive him.
Officials pronounced the man dead at the scene. On Saturday, he was identified as 35-year-old Michael Spooner. The 29-year-old woman was taken to Jefferson University Hospital and is in stable condition, according to the transit company.
A SEPTA spokesperson shared a statement with CBS News Philadelphia following the crash.
"Our hearts go out to everyone who is impacted by this tragic incident. SEPTA is committed to fully assisting Philadelphia Police in the accident investigation. SEPTA's System Safety Division is also conducting its own examination of the incident.The safety of the riders and communities we serve is our top priority. We are committed to full transparency with the public as we learn more from the System Safety investigation."
It's unclear if anyone was aboard the bus at the time of the crash. Brown said investigators will now check for video of the accident, interview witnesses and conduct a safety check of the SEPTA bus.
The driver remained at the scene, police said Saturday.
The investigation is active and ongoing.
