Duluth Police Release New Details About What Caused Fatal Bus Crash

Police Release More Details About Fatal DTA Bus Crash

Duluth Police are releasing more information about a crash that left one person dead on April 14th, 2015 at 5:05 a.m at the 400 Block of West Superior Street.

The crash left 53-year-old Michael Mooney of Duluth dead.

Mooney was a passenger in an eastbound Duluth Transit Authority bus driven by Rodney Frank Polson, 58, of Duluth.

Police have also identified the driver of the westbound Duluth Transit Authority bus involved in this crash as Glenn Evan McGill, 59, of Duluth.

After conducting interviews of involved parties, reviewing surveillance videos in the area, and on the involved busses, Duluth Police have been able to determine the events that led up to this tragic incident.

This incident began when an eastbound DTA bus driven by Polson began to lose control causing it to drift slightly off the roadway on Superior Street just east of Mesaba Avenue.

The bus then moved to the left and drove up onto the center median in the 600 block of West Superior Street and struck a road sign while it continued to accelerate eastbound.

The bus struck the stop sign at 5th Avenue West as it continued accelerating through the intersection without stopping.

After passing through the intersection, the bus had a major collision with the semaphore on the east side of 5th Avenue West which caused the bus to be redirected to the left, into and across the westbound lane of West Superior Street.

The bus came to rest after crashing into the concrete barriers along the roadway.

There was a very minor collision between eastbound bus and the westbound bus. The vast majority of the damage sustained by the eastbound bus was from the collision with the semaphore and concrete barrier.

One passenger from the eastbound bus still remains at a Duluth hospital with all others involved having been treated and released.

The remaining passenger in the hospital is 58 year old Jeanne Marie Doucette who is listed in critical condition.

During the time the bus was out of control, it was apparent by the reactions of the passengers on the bus that something was wrong with the driver.

Just prior to the crash, Mooney can be seen leaving his seat in the rear portion of the bus and begin to rush forward in an apparent attempt to help the driver.

The investigation continues and it is still undetermined at this time as to what caused Polson to lose control of the bus.

No additional information is available at this time.