People Mover driver ran red light before collision, police say

Two people suffered minor injuries and a People Mover driver was cited for running a red light in a Tuesday collision between a car and a bus in Anchorage’s Fairview neighborhood, police said.

The accident happened just before 11 a.m. at East 15th Avenue and Medfra Street. Bart Rudolph, a spokesperson for the municipality’s Public Transportation Department, said the bus was northbound on Medfra while the other vehicle was westbound on 15th Avenue.

Anchorage police spokesperson Renee Oistad said in a Wednesday email that the People Mover bus went through a red light. The other vehicle, an Audi, continued through the intersection on a green light and the vehicles collided, she said. The bus driver was given a citation for failing to stop at a red signal, Oistad said.

Both drivers complained of minor injuries, Oistad said. They were evaluated by medics at the scene but no one was transported for further treatment. Rudolph said on Tuesday that the bus driver later asked a People Mover supervisor to take him to a hospital.

Rudolph said five passengers were on the bus when the collision happened. The driver of the Audi was its only occupant, Oistad said.

People Mover is investigating the incident, Rudolph said on Tuesday. The bus was damaged in the collision and will likely be out of service for the next few days, he said. Its door will most likely need to be replaced, Rudolph said.