Victim of hit-and-run sues KC Metro and bus driver

RENTON, Wash. — A woman who was run over by a Metro bus last March is suing King County Metro and the driver who police say hit her.

Jessica Chapel, 34, had to have her leg amputated after a bus jumped the curb and ran over her on the sidewalk outside the Renton Transit Center. The incident happened just after 11 a.m. on March 10, 2021 and was captured on multiple cameras on board the bus.

The lawsuit claims the Metro bus driver, Felicia Collins, got out of the bus to check on Chapel multiple times, even called for help, but then canceled the call and drove off.

“It’s unimaginable she could do what she did, see what see saw, all those times she went back to check on Jessica, and leave. And not just leave, but cancel the only help that was coming for her,” said Viivi Vanderslice, an attorney for the plaintiff.

“The idea a professional driver, a Metro driver, could roll a bus over a human being, then talk to her, and leave her in a pool of blood,” said Kirk Bernard, an attorney for the plaintiff.

The Metro bus driver, Felicia Collins, is also charged with felony hit and run. She pleaded not guilty last week. Her trial is scheduled for December.

Chapel is suing in civil court to help pay for her medical expenses.

Metro told KIRO 7 the bus driver resigned before she could be terminated.

In statement. a KC Metro spokesperson wrote:

“We have high standards for all of our staff, and for their conduct and professionalism. As part of the extensive training that operators receive, they are clearly instructed to request help and to remain at the scene in an incident such as this. This incident is not representative of Metro, or of its thousands of other operators and employees supporting our community.”

©2021 Cox Media Group