A woman sustained injuries after being struck by a Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) bus while reportedly running across a road to reach a bus stop in Parkway Village. The incident took place near South Perkins Road at Cottonwood Road, as detailed in a report by Action News 5 on Monday night. According to the police officers dispatched to the scene at approximately 6:25 p.m., the woman was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries prior to their arrival.
Information from WREG noted the driver of the MATA bus claimed to have been traveling north through a green light at Perkins when the pedestrian ran in front of the vehicle, causing the collision. The victim confirmed she was running eastbound across Perkins Road to reach the bus stop. She suffered non-critical injuries to the left side of her head, and her lip and was treated at the Regional One Medical Center.
MATA issued a statement concerning the event, stating, "We are aware of an incident involving a MATA bus and a pedestrian earlier this evening. Our thoughts are with the individual involved. The safety of our riders, team members, and the community we serve is our highest priority, and we are cooperating fully with Memphis Police as they investigate." This was reflected in similar communications covered by both Action News 5 and FOX13 Memphis.
Contrary to previous reports, FOX13 Memphis initially described the pedestrian's condition as critical following the incident which occurred around 5:58 p.m., however, this description was later adjusted as her injuries were determined to be non-critical. The error in reporting the severity of injuries is not uncommon in the chaotic aftermath of traffic incidents, and the corrected status was welcomed news considering the potential for worse outcomes. The bus driver remained at the scene following the event, and neither the driver nor the passengers aboard the MATA bus reported any injuries requiring medical attention.
