Vail police seek public help investigating bus-pedestrian incident on Friday

The Vail Police Department on Saturday issued the following press release seeking help in the investigation into a bus-pedestrian incident on Friday:

The Vail Police Department is asking for the public’s help to assist in its investigation into the circumstances surrounding an incident in which a pedestrian was injured after being run over by a Town of Vail bus. The crash occurred at approximately 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, just north of the intersection of Vail Valley Drive and Hanson Ranch Road.

The pedestrian, a 27-year-old male visiting from Washington state, is being treated at Vail Health hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The 42-year-old bus driver told investigators he saw the man lying in the road as he was headed southbound on Vail Valley Drive and immediately applied the brakes but was unable to stop before running over him. The man had reportedly been lying in the road face up parallel to the roadway with his feet north and head south when he was struck, trapping him under the front axle of the bus.

A crew from Vail Fire & Emergency Services came upon the scene as it was returning from another call and stopped to assist. The front of the bus was lifted using airbags and the patient was extricated and transported to Vail Health by Eagle County Paramedic Services.

The bus was carrying six passengers at the time of the incident; there were no other injuries.

Police will be reviewing video footage from the bus and interviewing witnesses as part of their investigation. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact Detective Greg Schwartz at 970-479-2200 or gschwartz@vailgov.com.