A Charleroi woman died of injuries suffered as she apparently was struck and dragged by a transit bus Tuesday morning.
Helen Pansino, 90, of 900 Crest Ave., Charleroi, was pronounced dead 12:38 p.m. at Monongahela Valley Hospital in Carroll Township. The cause of death was blunt force trauma, according to Washington County Coroner S. Timothy Warco.
The accident occurred in the 900 block of Crest Avenue.
Pansino was hit by a transit bus on the Valley 4 route, a local connector route. Valley 4 operates weekdays among Charleroi, North Charleroi, Monongahela Valley Hospital, Fisher Heights in Carroll Township, and Donora.
The accident occurred 11:27 a.m., Charleroi police reported.
The driver was Robert Chunko, 67, of 421 Indiana Ave., Monessen. He has been driving a bus for First Transit and its predecessor, 88 Transit, since 1996.
Mid Mon Valley Transit contracts with First Transit to operate and maintain the buses.
Police took Chunko to Monongahela Valley Hospital, where blood was drawn for analysis. Supplemental drug and alcohol testing - standard protocol following an accident involving a transit bus - was being conducted, Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority spokesman Marc Roncone said.
The bus was impounded and a video from the vehicle was being provided to investigators, Roncone said.
An investigation by First Transit, Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority and police are being conducted.
Police called the accident an unfortunate tragedy involving a regular rider of the transit bus that struck her - just a few houses away from her home.
According to police, Chunko pulled up to the bus stop and looked for Pansino but did not see her. He then checked for traffic and proceeded to pull out from the bus stop, police said.
Chunko told police he felt as if something was not right - as if his vehicle had run over something. He got out and saw Pansino lodged under the bus.
Police estimated the victim had been dragged 40 to 50 yards.
With no witnesses to the accident, police surmised the victim must have crossed in front of the vehicle while the driver was checking for traffic and was struck by the bus.
Additional Information:
Prior accident
Pansino survived a Jan. 3, 2010, accident in Fallowfield Township in which emergency workers had to use cutting and bending tools to free her from a vehicle.
Township police said Pansino was driving west in the 100 block of Fremont Road at 11:55 a.m. when she apparently lost control of the vehicle.
Pansino became trapped after her vehicle rolled over.
Once free, she was flown by emergency helicopter to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment of multiple injuries.
