The driver of the Muni bus that ran over and killed Emily Dunn in a horrific pedestrian accident at a Castro intersection will face criminal charges. According to a news report in The Bay Citizen, the fatal accident occurred August 11, 2011 at the intersection of Hartford and 18th streets. Police said the 23-year-old Dunn had almost finished crossing Hartford Street when a Muni bus turning from 18th Street hit and crushed her under its wheels. The driver, Wallace Loggins, has been charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He could face up to one year in county jail if convicted.

Prosecutors Going after Drivers

Safety advocates say these criminal charges come at a time when the District Attorney is aggressively pursuing pedestrian accident cases. Pedestrian safety advocates see the charges against the Muni driver as a bold step on the part of the DA because it is basically one city agency prosecuting another city agency. Last year, the DA charged a bicyclist who struck and killed a 68-year-old pedestrian. Charges are also expected to be filed against a motorist who hit and killed a pedestrian and against a UC San Francisco shuttle driver who fatally struck a pedestrian. The fatal accident involving Dunn prompted Muni officials to consider requiring buses to follow set routes while in service.

My heart goes out to the family members and friends of Emily Dunn, who have suffered an irreparable loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Muni Accident Statistics

According to a news report in The San Francisco Examiner, of the 2,110 Muni drivers on the transit agency's roster in 2010, 348 – more than 16 percent – were in at least one "preventable" collision during the year. What this means is that the agency's safety inspectors determined that the driver was at fault. In 2010, there were 1,399 collisions, 379 of which were ruled preventable. Four drivers racked up three such at-fault accident in 2010 and 23 had two. Eight drivers were actually involved in five to seven collisions last year although most of those accidents were ruled not their fault.

Victims' Claim for Compensation

Injured victims of Muni accidents or families of deceased victims would be well advised to contact an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled similar cases. Please remember that any personal injury or wrongful death claim against a California governmental agency must be filed within 180 days of the incident. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to pedestrian accident victims or their families.