A Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) bus struck a pedestrian in downtown Dallas on Thursday, prompting responders to close off nearby streets.
The incident occurred before 1:30 p.m. on February 19 at the intersection of Commerce and South Saint Paul streets. According to scanner data, the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Fire-Rescue, and DART officials responded to the scene. They closed surrounding roads, rescued the man, and transported him to the hospital.
A dispatcher alerted Dallas police about the emergency around 1:24 p.m.
“Bus struck a pedestrian,” she said. “EMS is en route. DPD advise – the pedestrian is still under the bus.”
A dispatcher alerted Dallas fire around 1:29 p.m. for a “vehicle extrication” call. Minutes later, a responder said the pedestrian was still under the bus.
Around 1:36 p.m., a Dallas police officer called to shut down Commerce and South Saint Paul streets.
“I think DART has one intersection blocked off just to the west,” he said.
“Can we get just a few more officers over here by that DART bus and we can start clearing this crowd out?” an officer added.
At 1:41 p.m., a responder told Dallas fire dispatch they had freed the man.
“Be advised he has been pulled out from under the bus,” he said.
The victim was riding a scooter on the sidewalk when he turned a corner, got pulled under the bus, and it pinned him, according to The Dallas Morning News. He went to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
For example, on August 25, a DART bus jumped a curb and hit a tree at White Rock Lake Station – injuring the driver and four passengers, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. And in 2023, one of the agency’s buses crashed into DX’s office building.
Additionally, six DART member cities have called withdrawal elections for May 2, citing long-standing frustrations with governance and funding, as The Dallas Express reported. The cities have until March 18 to call off the elections.
In the meantime, DART has been negotiating with member cities to avert withdrawal votes. Plano Mayor John Muns told The Dallas Express on February 19 that they had reached tentative solutions for governance and funding reform, which could lead to canceling elections.
The last time cities left DART was in 1989, when Coppell and Flower Mound withdrew. If they stay in DART come May, the next window to opt out falls in 2032.
