A MARTA bus driver fell asleep at the wheel on Sept. 7, crossed lanes in Dunwoody, and crashed into a tree. He and two passengers were injured. Police later cited him; MARTA pulled him from service.

AtlantaFi.com talked to a woman who saw the crash. “I actually was riding my bike down Peachford and I saw this bus rumbling onto the shoulder of the road and into the trees,” Rebecca Hines said. “It was scary.”

The wreck happened at North Shallowford Road and Peachford Road. A crash report and onboard video show the 58-year-old driver stopped at the intersection, folded his hands across his stomach, and tipped his head back.

MARTA Driver Falls Asleep: What Happened

His foot came off the brake. The bus rolled forward, crossed traffic, dropped over a curb and down an embankment, and struck a tree.

The tree smashed through the windshield, then fell onto several empty parked cars. A tow truck later dragged the bus out of the ditch.

Who was hurt

Three people were on the bus.

  • The driver had deep cuts on his face and left arm and a possible broken leg and pinkie. He went to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
  • The passenger behind him was found on the floor with back and hip pain.
  • A third rider reported knee pain.

Police have not released names. The driver told officers he did not remember the crash and only woke up as the bus left the road. One passenger thought it might have been a medical episode.

Charges and MARTA’s response

Dunwoody police charged the driver with distracted driving and failure to maintain lane. They did not arrest him.

MARTA took him off the road at once and said he will stay off duty until the investigation is done.

“The safety of our riders and employees is our highest priority, and an incident like this is unacceptable,” the agency said. “Following the incident, the operator was immediately pulled from service and will remain so until an exhaustive investigation is complete.”

Video from inside the bus shows him dropping his head and taking his hands off the wheel more than once. An earlier alert after he missed a green turn did not keep him awake.

Still unanswered

Authorities have not named the driver or the two riders. MARTA has not said whether fatigue, a medical issue, or a policy breach caused the crash, or whether the driver will return to work.

The intersection is North Shallowford at Peachford in Dunwoody. Check MARTA alerts if you use that route.

Final Word

As the city lights up with yet another special event this weekend, remember: Safe driving is the real treat. For more tips on navigating safely around the city, read our Atlanta Traffic Guide.

More from AtlantaFi.com: