Investigation Reveals No Operator Error in Fatal Bus Crash

Ani Emdjian, 9, passed away after suffering serious injuries in the crash

Providence Police have released their investigation report on a fatal bus accident in Providence on March 26.

In the report, police said they responded to the accident at 201 Smith Street for a pedestrian stuck by a RIPTA bus. When officers arrived they found Ani Emdjian, 9, suffering from serious injuries as a result of the crash.

The child was taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital along with her father Oshin Emdjian, who was on the scene at the time of the incident. Ani Emdjian died as a result of her injuries and was pronounced dead by a Trauma Surgeon at Hasbro Hospital.

Members of the Providence Police Department Traffic Bureau conducted the accident investigation which included a reconstruction of the accident scene.

Video was recovered from the bus dash camera and from two area businesses.

Statements were taken from several witnesses as well as the operator of the RIPTA bus, Eric C. Seaberg, 42.

Following the crash the bus driver was drug tested in accordance with normal procedures and preliminary toxicology results of Seaberg were clear.

The RIPTA bus was also turned over to the Rhode Island State Police Motor Carrier Unit for inspection which found it to be free of mechanical defects.

The reconstruction of the accident scene revealed that the RIPTA bus was traveling below the 25 mph speed limit in a westerly direction on Smith Street.

Ani Emdjian was captured on video running in a northerly direction across Smith Street at the time she was struck by the bus.

Police said the evidence collected and examined during this incident has resulted in the conclusion by the Providence Police Department Traffic Bureau investigators that there was no operator error.

The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office will also conducting a review of this case. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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