CCT bus driver charged in accident that severed woman's leg

By Kristi E. Swartz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta police have charged the driver of the Cobb County Transit bus that hit a woman, severing her leg and breaking her ankle.

Jean Lewis, 57, was charged with failure to yield to pedestrian in crosswalk and failing to exercise due care, Atlanta police said Friday.

The misdemeanor charges come eight days after 54-year-old Ruby Rhodes was hit by a CCT bus after she walked into its path. The bus was turning left at a green light.

"As [Lewis] approached the intersection of Hamilton E. Holmes Drive and M. L. King [Jr. Drive], he had a green arrow to turn left," the APD spokeswoman said in a statement. "As Mr. Lewis was making his turn, [Rhodes] stepped from the curb and entered the roadway in the crosswalk. As the bus was making its turn, the rear portion of the bus struck Ms. Rhodes causing her to fall to the ground."

A witness said Lewis had pulled out of the Hamilton Holmes MARTA station and Rhodes apparently saw the bus approaching because she tried to walk faster.

Cobb County spokesman Robert Quigley said the bus was following route number 30, which originates at the Hamilton Holmes MARTA station and continues to the Cobb Civic Center.

The driver will be "removed from service" until an investigation is concluded, Quigley said.

Reporters Ty Tagami and Christian Boone contributed to this article