Greyhound driver cleared in passenger death - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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Greyhound driver cleared in passenger death Thursday Dec 14, 2017 at 11:29 AM Dec 14, 2017 at 5:43 PM Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune @RyanPfeil Staff reports Jackson County will not file charges against a Greyhound bus driver who was at the wheel when a 25-year-old Seattle man was run over and killed in Central Point last June. The Jackson County District Attorney's Office said in a press release there is "insufficient evidence to support proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that driver Arthur Lamarris Coley acted in a reckless or criminally negligent manner the night Hunter Maxwell Brown died. "The events of that day were a terrible tragedy," the release says. "However, they do not rise to the level of criminal conduct." The accident happened about 1:30 a.m. June 29 at the Pilot Truck Stop in Central Point. The Pilot is a short distance from Interstate 5 and is bordered by East Pine Street to the north and Peninger Road to the west. The bus had pulled over for a stop and was scheduled to depart at 1:30 a.m., though passengers on the bus said Coley had started to depart early, reportedly honking the horn to signal to passengers still inside that it was time to leave. Before the stop, some passengers reported Coley was in a bad mood and had kicked some passengers off the bus for smoking cannabis. He began to drive away, which is when Brown reportedly ran out toward the departing vehicle. "Brown ran up next to the bus as it pulled out onto Peninger Road, trying to get the driver's attention," the release says. "(He) was next to the bus when his foot got caught under the tire. His body was pulled under the tire." Brown died at the scene. Some passengers interviewed said they were aware Brown was trying to get the bus to stop, while others said they heard yelling but could not understand why. Coley told police he had been trying to pull over after seeing and hearing Brown. He said "Brown disappeared," followed by a "thump," the release says. Police said Coley was visibly distraught, and that there were no traces of alcohol or drugs in his system based on blood and urine samples. Family members previously told the Mail Tribune Brown had been en route to the San Francisco Bay area. They are suing the bus company, claiming it was negligent. A complaint in the case claims Coley already had driven 9½ hours that day and was confrontational with some passengers.