Nov 5, 2009 6:02 pm US/Central
Family Of Woman Killed By Bus Consider Lawsuit
(WCCO)
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The family of Becky Cruzen say they are filing a lawsuit against Metro Transit for what they say was a wrongful death of their family member. (File)
CBS
A Minnesota family is feeling extreme loss tonight. However, they are dealing with that loss by doing something they personally believe is right.
They're considering filing a lawsuit against Metro Transit after their loved one, Becky Cruzen, was struck and killed by a bus three weeks ago.
Cruzen was on her way to catch the lightrail at 46th Street and Hiawatha to get to work.
"This is one of the last photos of Becky and I together," her sister Monica Wood said, flipping through several pictures of her family.
Wood said Cruzen was her best friend.
In fact, her entire family depended on her.
Cruzen was raising a 15-year-old son who was a straight-A high school student, and she was also caring for her mother.
"She had a huge heart, a good heart. If you weren't happy, she wasn't happy," Wood said.
Wood and the rest of her family are emotionally drained but also ready to fight to be sure the crash that killed their loved one never happens again.
The accident report states the bus was coming east on 46th Street, and while making a left turn at 36th Avenue and into the 46th Street Station, it hit Cruzen in the middle of the intersection.
The bus had a green light, but Cruzen, the report confirms, was crossing the intersection with a clear walk sign.
That is key in this case, according to Ron Meshbesher, with Meshbesher & Spence, Ltd., the firm representing Cruzen's family.
"She had the right of way," he said, while elaborating that this case comes down to negligence. "Well, it's clear, because the bus driver did not yield to the right of way of the pedestrian in the crosswalk."
Meshbesher hopes to settle this out of court but knows he might have to file a wrongful death lawsuit, if that's not possible.
Metro Transit would not comment on the case Thursday, because of possible pending litigation.
A few days after the crash, a passenger on the bus blogged about what she remembered from that day.
"And I will remember this sound for the rest of my life," this passenger wrote about the sound of the bus hitting and killing Cruzen.
She ran up to Cruzen after, and wrote, "I hold her wrist, looking for a pulse. I can't find one."
Cruzen never regained consciousness and died at the hospital that night.
"Becky always made sure, going shopping or whatever, to follow the safety rules," Wood said.
The passenger on the bus said at least one of the street lights was not working that Friday morning.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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