MEAD, Wash.- Four months after a deadly collision that claimed the life of a 20-year-old woman, questions remain about how the tragedy occurred and why the school bus driver has not faced charges.
Eva Marie Allen was struck and killed by a Mead School District bus while crossing Hastings Road at West Bellwood Drive on the evening of January 5. Allen, a student at Spokane Community College who was on the autism spectrum, had celebrated her 20th birthday just one day before the fatal collision.
“She was a really special girl. It was actually her birthday, the day before this happened. They had been celebrating,” said Jay Adkin, an attorney representing Allen’s family.
Allen aspired to become a special education teacher and help children like herself, according to her family’s attorney.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office has completed its investigation and is not recommending charges against the bus driver. According to the sheriff’s public information officer, the driver was not impaired and multiple speed tests confirmed the bus was traveling at or below the posted speed limit when the collision occurred.
Videos we obtained through a public records request show the moments leading up to the fatal collision. The footage, captured by cameras mounted on the front and inside of the school bus, reveals that eastbound traffic had stopped to allow Allen to cross the street. However, the westbound school bus, which had no students on board at the time, did not slow down before the impact.
The collision occurred in an area with limited street lighting during dark conditions.
The Mead School District’s transportation department held a safety meeting two days after the tragedy. Internal emails 4News Now obtained from the school district reveal concerns about dome lights potentially affecting driver visibility.
Some transportation staff expressed concerns that “dome lights are too bright at night, making it difficult for the driver to see through the windshield.” The director of transportation suggested turning off most front dome lights while leaving rear lights on for student safety checks.
When questioned about whether dome lights on the bus contributed to the crash, a district representative said no.
In response to the Eva Allen’s death, neighboring businesses, individuals, the Mead School District and Spokane County collaborated to improve safety at the Hastings Road and West Bellwood Drive crosswalk. Upgrades include enhanced street lighting and installation of a new pedestrian-activated crosswalk flashing beacon.
Allen’s father is working to establish a nonprofit organization in his daughter’s memory called Eva’s Guiding Lights. The organization will distribute blinking lights for pedestrians to use when crossing streets.
“We’re trying to find some level of justice, really. At the end of the day, find the full level of responsibility for anybody involved,” Adkin said.
The investigation by the school district and its insurance company remains ongoing.
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