A grim scene unfolded in Northeast D.C. on Wednesday morning as a Metrobus fatally struck a man who was lying in the street. The incident occurred at the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Hayes Street, claiming the man's life, local authorities report.
The Metropolitan Police Department informed DC News Now that the tragic event happened just minutes after 5 a.m. on the 4200 block of Minnesota Avenue. Responding to the scene, officers discovered an unconscious man, not breathing, having been run over by the Metrobus. He was pronounced dead where he lay.
An investigation is currently ongoing to determine how the situation unfolded. The name of the deceased has not been released pending notification of next of kin. However, authorities have confirmed that the bus driver remained at the scene following the accident, as noted in a statement obtained by FOX 5 DC.
As a result of the investigation and the immediate aftermath of the accident, a stretch of Minnesota Avenue was cordoned off by the police. This closure lasted until approximately 9:40 a.m., when the lanes from Hayes Street to Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue Northeast were reopened, according to a report by WUSA9. Police have not released any information about why the man was lying in the road. With the ongoing investigation, the Metropolitan Police Department's Major Crash Unit is working to uncover more details about the incident.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority confirmed the collision as well, echoing the details provided by the police. They described the fatal incident as their bus "rolled over a person." The circumstances leading up to the man's presence on the road and the subsequent collision are still under investigation, and further details are expected to be shared with the public as they become available.
