Bail Set At $20,000 For MTA Bus Driver Accused In Fatal Brooklyn Hit-And-Run
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An MTA bus driver was in court Wednesday, charged in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 70-year-old woman in Brooklyn.
As CBS2's Meg Baker reported, the walker belonging to Carol Bell was left lying in the street Tuesday morning after she was struck and killed by the MTA bus in Ocean Hill.
Now, the driver of that bus, 48-year-old Paul Roper, has been arraigned on charges of leaving the scene of an accident, failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care.
Roper's lawyer spoke outside the courtroom on Wednesday.
"When there's a video like this, people rush to judgment," he said.
Police have video showing the B15 bus, which was out of service at the time, turn from Sackman Street to head east on Fulton Street as Bell was in the crosswalk.
Investigators said the bus stopped for a few seconds then drove on, dragging Bell's body further down the street.
Roper never got out of the bus, Baker reported.
"It's so sad the way she had to die this way…but they got it on camera," said friend Jennifer Gonzales.
Roper, whose parents were also MTA bus drivers, has worked in transit for 15 years. His family came to his defense outside of court.
"He's not a bad person. It's a hard feeling, I want him to come home," said his brother-in-law Miguel Rodriguez.
"I don't think he should be penalized or treated like a monster because he's not that type of person at all," said Roper's sister-in-law Deione Gray.
Bell died only a block from where she lived at the Magnolia House Women's Shelter on Herkimer Street. She was on her way to a detox program for heroin addiction when she was killed, Baker reported.
"She was a very loving, kind person," said friend John Foster.
In court, Roper's lawyer said he regrets the tragic loss of life. He also cited pending litigation regarding a blind spot in that model of MTA bus.
A $20,000 cash bail was set. Roper's license has been suspended and he is due back in court on Nov. 9.
