A Charlotte Area Transit System bus struck and killed a 49-year-old rider named Ebony Wingate on North Graham Street on Friday, October 2, moments after she had stepped off the same bus. Police say she moved back toward the vehicle as it pulled away from the stop, stepped into the road, and was hit. Medics pronounced her dead at the scene.
The crash happened near North Graham Street and Dalton Avenue, according to WBTV. Officers responding to the scene found Wingate unresponsive in the 1300 block of North Graham Street, and as the Charlotte Observer reported, Medic pronounced her dead there. WBTV's account of the sequence of events matches: Wingate exited the bus, then re-entered the roadway as the bus was leaving the stop, and was struck.
What Police Have and Haven't Said
Investigators have not disclosed whether the bus driver is facing any charges. The Observer's report was explicit on this point, noting plainly that officials did not say if the driver was facing any charges. That leaves a central question about the crash unresolved as of the most recent reporting.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Crash Investigation Unit confirmed it was investigating a fatal crash involving a CATS bus and a pedestrian in the Metro Division, according to a notice from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. No further findings from that investigation have been made public.
CATS Accessibility Policy
Separately, CATS states on its website that all of its fixed-route buses and trains are accessible and meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and that it offers Special Transportation Service, a paratransit option, for eligible customers with disabilities, according to the Charlotte Area Transit System. That policy information describes general CATS accessibility accommodations and does not speak to the specific circumstances of Wingate's death.
Charlotte Alerts News later covered the fatality, as noted by Charlotte Alerts News. Beyond the confirmed details of the crash, timeline and location, no additional facts about the circumstances of the investigation or any potential charges have been verified.
