Bus Driver in Fatal Crash To Receive Ticket

The city bus driver who stuck and killed 22-year-old Seth Kahn last week... will be ticketed. The Daily News reports that Jeremy Philhower will only receive a summons for failing to yield to a pedestrian, which is a noncriminal violation. This means he'll pay up to $150 or spend 15 days in jail (the latter is an unlikely outcome).

The paper reports that "detectives concluded Philhower and Kahn both had a green light when the express bus — turning left off 53rd St onto Ninth Ave — hit and killed Kahn," who was hit by the left rear tires. Though the driver was suspended for texting while on the job, and last Wednesday was his first day back, he says he was not texting when the accident occurred.

However, his Facebook status updates that were uncovered by Transit investigators (many made while behind the wheel) are unsettling, and include thoughts like: "Thinking about how many people I want to kill today." Meanwhile, NYC Transit can still suspend him or move to fire him if they determine the accident was preventable.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on November 12, 2009 1:07 PM

Comments [rss]

hunter.blatherer

Par for the course. Prosecutors have never heard of "criminal negligence" in cases like this, let alone "vehicular homicide."

Accident (n.): An inevitable occurrence due to the action of immutable natural laws.

-The Devil's Dictionary

Automocar

Ridiculous.

Clarice City

I hope the young man's family sues the city. Maybe then the MTA will try to avoid maintaining losers like this guy on their payroll.

jaycjay

"Thinking about how many people I want to kill today."

It's a little misleading to quote just part of the sentence that he actually wrote. Leaving off the "including myself" really changes the tone of it.

NannyState

He who gets the ticket gets sued. When it ends, Philhower won't even have bus fare to his name.

americaonline

who was hit by the left rear tires

So how is this the drivers fault for someone walking into the back of his bus while he was turning?

interlard

Easy: Busses move quickly. The front just missed the pedestrian, the back hit him. Have you never seen a bus before? Never seen the way they jump red lights and barrel into crossing pedestrians when making a turn? Crossing the street in NYC is a terrifying experience. You should try it sometime.

longacre

It's not that scary if you watch where you're going and have at least some knowledge of trigonometry: the rear of the bus is going to get closer to the corner than the front of the bus.

Dirk

That's justice served! A fine for a whopping $150!

Chillinoncentral

Mixing texting with driving is way tooo dangerous. Shockingly though, this is not so uncommon. Lots of people get into accidents because of texting while driving. I just don't understand WHY THESE PEOPLE CANT ACTUALLY CALL PEOPLE??? What is so unimportant that you literally cannot speak the words, and are forced to type them? What could you possibly be saying that is more important than living?

T

Who let grandma use the computer?

doo

Um, so the fact that the light was green makes it okay for the bus driver to run over a pedestrian who has the right-of-way? When did this change?

jaycjay

"Um, so the fact that the light was green makes it okay for the bus driver to run over a pedestrian who has the right-of-way?"

No, it wasn't OK, which is why he was ticketed for it.

nicemarmot

Well, three years ago my neighbor was hit and killed by an M15 driver who ran the red light. He didn't even get a ticket, so really this is an improvement.

scrappymcgee

Can they at least fire him now or are they going to make him do some more training

youngpro

he already went thrugh additional training after he was suspended the first time.

marcasm

"Thinking about how many people I want to kill today." Apparently that day the magic number was 1. How is this guy allowed to drive a bus ?

starrygordon

Motor vehicles are sacred.

faprilano

no criminal charges????????? he killed someone for gosh sakes!

jaycjay

Thousands of people have killed other people in traffic accidents and not faced criminal charges. Accidents are a part of being out in the world, and always will be.