CyRide bus driver arrested in fatal Iowa State University hit-and-run

[cigaretteman]

Emmalee Jacobs

AMES — Ames police have arrested a 23-year-old CyRide bus driver in connection with the hit-and-run death of an Iowa State University student in December.

Benjamin D. Clague, 23, of Gilbert, faces a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a death and failure to obey a traffic control device, a simple misdemeanor, in connection with Emmalee J. Jacobs’ death.

Jacobs, 18, of Urbana, died at Mary Greeley Medical Center on Dec. 14 after an ISU police officer found her injured, lying in the road near Lincoln Way and Ash Avenue. Investigators believe the hit-and-run occurred at 7:04 a.m. Dec. 14., and they promptly began searching for a suspect.

Their follow-up investigation — aided by employees with CyRide, the campus bus system — led authorities to determine Jacobs was hit by a CyRide bus within the crosswalk of Ash Avenue, according to an Ames Police news release.

Officers say the investigation is continuing.

http://www.thegazette.com/subject/n...al-iowa-state-university-hit-and-run-20160120

 

[BABiscuit]

Some more info from the Ames Trib that answers some of the questions as to whether he would have know if he hit her.

********************************
Ames police Cmdr. Jason Tuttle said investigators received a tip two weeks ago from a CyRide supervisor who was reviewing bus videos, and came across a “concerning video.” From there the supervisor was able to identify the driver as Clague.

“That’s what broke the case for us right there,” Tuttle said Wednesday morning.

According to Tuttle, Clague was driving westbound on Lincoln Way and made a left turn onto Ash Avenue when he struck Jacobs. Tuttle said the video was not entirely clear, but a loud noise was heard on the recording, and then the video showed Clague driving to the next stop, getting out, and inspecting the vehicle.

The video did not show any passengers on the bus, Tuttle said.

Police interviewed Clague, and learned that he had conversations with friends alluding to the accident, but never fully admitting to it. Tuttle also said police believe Clague knew he had struck something.

“If he was driving that route later, he would’ve seen officers at the scene,” Tuttle said.

According to the criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Story County District Court, text messages show Clague was “fully aware that a fatality had occurred and he had just “went two hours thinking I was involved.’”

Clague also met with a friend the next day and told the friend he thought he had struck and killed Jacobs, the complaint shows.

- See more at: http://amestrib.com/news/cyride-dri...run-death-emmalee-jacobs#sthash.2BNYXqqR.dpuf

 

[cigaretteman]

Some more info from the Ames Trib that answers some of the questions as to whether he would have know if he hit her.

********************************
Ames police Cmdr. Jason Tuttle said investigators received a tip two weeks ago from a CyRide supervisor who was reviewing bus videos, and came across a “concerning video.” From there the supervisor was able to identify the driver as Clague.

“That’s what broke the case for us right there,” Tuttle said Wednesday morning.

According to Tuttle, Clague was driving westbound on Lincoln Way and made a left turn onto Ash Avenue when he struck Jacobs. Tuttle said the video was not entirely clear, but a loud noise was heard on the recording, and then the video showed Clague driving to the next stop, getting out, and inspecting the vehicle.

The video did not show any passengers on the bus, Tuttle said.

Police interviewed Clague, and learned that he had conversations with friends alluding to the accident, but never fully admitting to it. Tuttle also said police believe Clague knew he had struck something.

“If he was driving that route later, he would’ve seen officers at the scene,” Tuttle said.

According to the criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Story County District Court, text messages show Clague was “fully aware that a fatality had occurred and he had just “went two hours thinking I was involved.’”

Clague also met with a friend the next day and told the friend he thought he had struck and killed Jacobs, the complaint shows.

- See more at: http://amestrib.com/news/cyride-dri...run-death-emmalee-jacobs#sthash.2BNYXqqR.dpuf

Wow, I could see the kid being freaked out, but not stopping and calling 911 after he hit her, and then not coming forward for weeks, is pretty hard to justify.

 

[swagsurfer02]

Wow, I could see the kid being freaked out, but not stopping and calling 911 after he hit her, and then not coming forward for weeks, is pretty hard to justify.

Agree with this


Also, she was beautiful

 

[TunzaHawk]

Pretty honorable and right thing for the bus service to investigate and self report when it will foot the bill for the wrongful death action.

 

[gusto79]

Wow, I could see the kid being freaked out, but not stopping and calling 911 after he hit her, and then not coming forward for weeks, is pretty hard to justify.

Did he know he hit her? Maybe he though he hit something but didn't realize it was her until he saw it on the news later. He still should have came forward though.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

Did he know he hit her? Maybe he though he hit something but didn't realize it was her until he saw it on the news later. He still should have came forward though.

From what I have read, he may not have been sure at the very moment...but he was at least aware of a strong possibility shortly thereafter. IMO, he made a HUGE mistake by not doubling back to be sure and/or turning himself in or telling his supervision very soon afterwards.

Sad, sad story...one person is dead and another is facing a really radical change to their future.

 

[cigaretteman]

MacKenzie Elmer, Jeff Charis-Carlson and Charly Haley, chaley@dmreg.com 3:41 p.m. CST January 20, 2016
18-year-old Emmalee Jacobs, of Urbana, who was found Dec. 14 by a university police officer lying in the crosswalk of Ash Avenue with Lincoln Way.

Commander Jason Tuttle of Ames Police said Wednesday that a CyRide supervisor contacted police after reviewing a video from their bus fleet.

Clague, driving an empty bus, turned left onto Ash Avenue at about 7 a.m., but did not appear to heed a flashing, yellow arrow which commands cars yield to pedestrians, Tuttle said. Jacobs cannot be seen on the video, but as Clague turns, police could hear an impact.

The video shows Clague get out of the bus and do a walk-around at his next stop, which was two blocks away, Tuttle said.

"It was raining, and that’s not normal behavior,” Tuttle said. “We believe he probably thought he hit something but didn’t know what it was right away.”

Emmalee Jacobs (Photo: Iowa State University/Special to the Register)

Tuttle said Clague would have seen emergency vehicles and caution tape at that intersection on his next pass through what’s known as the “Gold Route” on CyRide.

“I think weather conditions played a factor in this," Tuttle said. "It was raining. There was a lot of glare and it was still dark. That doesn’t excuse him not coming forward an hour or more afterward.”

Clague continued to drive for CyRide, 38 hours a week. It wasn’t until Jan. 6, when a supervisor found the video, that police started to connect his name to the incident, Tuttle said.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation assisted Ames police with a forensic analysis of the bus, Tuttle said.

Sheri Kyras, director of transit at CyRide, said Clague was hired in October of 2013 and passed all criminal and driving background checks and completed at least 120 hours of training. There was no indication that Clauge was intoxicated, since each driver is visually inspected by dispatchers every morning, Kyras said.

“There wasn’t anything that indicated to us that there was an issue,” Kyras said.

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DES MOINES REGISTER

Family of dead ISU student reeling


“We have a very strong safety culture here,” Kyras said. “It’s everything we think about as we provide service on a daily basis.”

Brad Jacobs, Emmalee's dad, said news of Clague's arrest was "very emotional" for his family. "We're glad that we know what has happened now," he said. "It takes away that not knowing."

But grappling with his daughter's death is still difficult, and he said he hopes the steps following Clague's arrest, including any court process, happen quickly.

"I think we would feel better about the person if he had came forward on his own," Brad Jacobs added.

But he's grateful for the work of the Ames Police Department and CyRide in helping bring answers in his daughter's death, he said. "We want people to know that we're very thankful for all of the support that we've received."

ISU President Steven Leath released a statement Wednesday afternoon saying that the university and city would continue to together "to evaluate potential safety improvements and promote both vehicle and pedestrian safety around campus and the community.”

“We appreciate the diligent investigative work of the Ames Police Department in determining the circumstances of this tragic incident," Leath said. "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Emmalee Jacobs during this very difficult time."

The Iowa Board of Regents, which oversees Iowa's public universities, last year created a Campus Safety and Security Subcommittee to address safety and security issues as they arise on the three campuses. The subcommittee is holding its second meeting Thursday in Cedar Falls. Transportation or pedestrian safety issues are not listed on the agenda.

“It’s unclear whether this particular incident will be discussed during the meeting,” said regents spokesman Josh Lehman. “Going forward, the committee is always looking at ways to make the campus safer. Transportation issues could be part of the discussion in the future.”

The last time CyRide was involved in a fatality was 1995, which turned out to be a suicide, Kyras said. The Ames-based busing network serves the city and ISU. It carries an average of 40,000 riders daily and covers 1.2 million miles each year, according to its website.

Tuttle said the investigation into this case continues. Anyone with information should contact Ames Police at (515) 239-5133.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...0/arrest-made-fatal-isu-hit-and-run/79057916/

 

[L. Wade Childress]

I don't think he knew he hit a person until later. You don't stop if that's the case. So she unfortunately she was going to die regardless and that changes my opinion of him a bit. He's likely a panicking kid rather than a panicking kid with no soul.

 

[Herkmeister]

Just awful. Can't imagine why he would not have told authorities. Something's not right with him. (Are these college kids who drive the buses or full time staff?)
Either way it's tragic for all involved.

 

[cigaretteman]

Just awful. Can't imagine why he would not have told authorities. Something's not right with him. (Are these college kids who drive the buses or full time staff?)
Either way it's tragic for all involved.

College kids. It's ISU's version of Cambus.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

I don't think he knew he hit a person until later. You don't stop if that's the case. So she unfortunately she was going to die regardless and that changes my opinion of him a bit. He's likely a panicking kid rather than a panicking kid with no soul.

Certainly there would be an element of panic when one realizes that they may have struck someone and/or killed someone and that is very understandble. BUT...to stay silent for a month+ afterwards does, to me anyway, indicate some sort of a character flaw and/or lack of a soul.

If you give him the benefit of the doubt that he truly did not know what happened at the moment of impact, which is certainly plausible, he certainly had to be very, very aware that he may have played a role once he learned that there was a traffic fatality on his route and at the stop prior to him getting out of the bus and visually checking it, etc.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Certainly there would be an element of panic when one realizes that they may have struck someone and/or killed someone and that is very understandble. BUT...to stay silent for a month+ afterwards does, to me anyway, indicate some sort of a character flaw and/or lack of a soul.

If you give him the benefit of the doubt that he truly did not know what happened at the moment of impact, which is certainly plausible, he certainly had to be very, very aware that he may have played a role once he learned that there was a traffic fatality on his route and at the stop prior to him getting out of the bus and visually checking it, etc.

Definitely, but his character flaw didn't kill her.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

Definitely, but his character flaw didn't kill her.

Agreed. From the information available, it sounds like a total accident, I seriously doubt that there was any intent, etc. But his reaction following was not stellar. To me, worst case, he had to have known, or very strongly suspected, he had role in the death by the end of the day of the accident.

To then not come forward was a pretty big error on his part. It really, really sucks that two innocent college students had their lives either ended or severely screwed up in a matter of seconds. But he should have come forward long before the investigation caught up to him.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Also his decision to not come forward makes me think he was texting or something.

 

[menwithouthats]

Certainly there would be an element of panic when one realizes that they may have struck someone and/or killed someone and that is very understandble. BUT...to stay silent for a month+ afterwards does, to me anyway, indicate some sort of a character flaw and/or lack of a soul.

If you give him the benefit of the doubt that he truly did not know what happened at the moment of impact, which is certainly plausible, he certainly had to be very, very aware that he may have played a role once he learned that there was a traffic fatality on his route and at the stop prior to him getting out of the bus and visually checking it, etc.

I have never driven a bus before, but it still seems odd to me that he would hit a person with enough force to cause a fatality and not realize it right that moment. He knew that he had hit something b/c he stopped two blocks later to inspect the bus.

I guess it's plausible that he never saw her in the first place since it was raining and I'll even throw out the possibility that the pedestrian may have played a role in the accident by not being fully aware when they were crossing the street. I'm not suggesting this happened here but based on what I've seen when driving in downtown IC, they are many college students who stretch the limits of the "pedestrians always have the right of way" saying.

Yesterday while I was driving down Clinton St, some clown wearing headphones starts walking out in the street about 30 feet before the crosswalk. Probably completely oblivious to his surroundings, he didn't see me and stop until I was right next to him. He then proceeds to keep crossing where he almost gets clipped by another car.

While I sympathize for the victim and her family I'm not surprised when this type of thing happens. Whether the bus driver was completely at fault and knowingly didn't come forward or he honestly did think he had hit anything at the time, it's a very sad situation either way.

 

[RockEyeState]

First, Clowns trample one of their own Fish-hacks on the basketball court.
Now, they are running over pretty coeds.
Anyone else see the obvious pattern, here ??