Pedestrian struck, killed by commuter bus in Haverhill

HAVERHILL, MASS. (WHDH) - A pedestrian died Wednesday after being hit by a transit bus in Haverhill, officials said. A state Department of Transportation spokesperson in a statement said the crash happened around 8:40 a.m. on the grounds of Northern Essex Community College near a Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) bus stop. The victim, described as a male pedestrian, was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation got underway and was ongoing Wednesday night, officials said. "In our business, this is the biggest nightmare, the thing that everyone fears," said MVRTA Administrator and CEO Noah Berger. Berger said the bus involved in this crash had just made its stop at Northern Essex Community College and was pulling away at the time of the incident.

The man who died, Berger said, was known to the driver and was a familiar face on the route. "This is what makes it that much more devastating," he said. "In public transportation, you build camaraderie almost like family," he continued. "You may not know the names of the other riders, but you know who they are."

While the law enforcement investigation continued Wednesday, State Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt addressed the crash in a statement, saying "Our hearts break for the friends and family of the individual who was struck and killed today." "There is a MA State Police investigation into how this happened, and it's my promise to the community that the investigation will be thorough and the results transparent," she said. MVRTA officials said they are cooperating with the investigation, describing the incident as "a terrible tragedy."

"Obviously, this would be tragic any time of year," Berger told 7NEWS. "But, being right in the holiday season, it just seems that much worse." The MVRTA serves more than a dozen communities in the North Shore and Merrimack Valley regions in Massachusetts.

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