The driver of the Ride the Ducks vehicle involved in a deadly crash on the Aurora Bridge is sharing his story.
Eric Bishop, 58, described trying to control the amphibious vehicle after the axle broke on September 24, 2015.
"I was basically in the fight for my life, our lives, with 37 souls on board," said Bishop. He said if the charter bus had not stopped the out-of-control duck, "We would have probably gone right over the edge. We would have careened right off."
Bishop says after the crash he felt unfairly blamed. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the crash was caused by mechanical failure.
"Eric Bishop was in no way responsible. Once that axle broke he was a passenger and there was nothing he could do," said Bishop's attorney, Larry Kahn.
Bishop wants the public to know he did everything he could.
"This will always be with me. Every living moment, it will be with me. But to have the public out there know I did everything I could to prevent this from happening, I did everything possible," said Bishop.
After the crash Bishop say he helped evacuate passengers and refused treatment until all of them had been helped.
Bishop was injured in the crash and is still in pain.
He says the emotional suffering is worse.
"Nightmares, it's usually about the bridge, and I get to watch five people die, and there's nothing I can do about it. I wake up in cold sweats, I wake up in a panic," described Bishop.
Bishop sued Ride the Ducks International, the manufacturer of the stretch duck, and recently settled for $2 million.
Bishop previously settled with the city of Seattle and state of Washington for $200,000.
"The world now knows Eric Bishop is a hero and I am happy to have played a part in proving he is not the villain he was made out to be. I am glad we could help Eric get justice, " said Attorney Brian Sullivan.
"Every day I think about what happened, the lives that were lost," said Bishop, "
More news from KIRO 7
- Man, toddler found dead at Maple Valley home
- 13 displaced after fire at Redmond apartment complex
- Police: Pickup driver hit several cars, passed out behind wheel on I-90
- Repeat criminal with violent history charged with two random Seattle attacks
- Do you have an investigative story tip? Send us an email at investigate@kiro7.com
Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/M5EF4DQYGJC4BCVSPRD2M345YM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/O4ONB5LQ7RED5OCLYWDEXDO4NU.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/DXDLMDAV6VGGXK7W7JBOC4U6IM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/MUMNN3JDYFHC3PB3LTBSQV6O64.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/WGGLITSPWBHQ5P6CGGDE43V3GI.jpg)