NJ Transit bus ignored red light and killed man on West Side Avenue

A close analysis of a poorly worded police report has revealed that a New Jersey Transit bus ran a red light on Friday immediately before striking and killing a man as he rode his scooter on West Side Avenue.

According to codes included in the margin of the report, which Safe Streets Jersey City received and analyzed, officers cited “driver inattention” and “failure to obey traffic control devices” on the bus.

This new information, says Jimmy Lee of Safe Streets Jersey City, shows that the victim, 29-year-old Timothy John Alva of Bayonne, was not at fault.

“Despite all the speculation in online comments that the scooter driver did something rash, the report clearly shows that the bus ignored a red light.” Lee said the new information “exonerates the victim.”

Lee's conclusion appears to be consistent with the somewhat ambiguous description of the accident provided by responding officers, which they arrived at after reviewing the bus's dashboard camera and the testimony of a bus passenger.

The police report states: “The recordings show that the driver of [the bus] was heading north on Westside Avenue. The footage also shows that the traffic light at the intersection of Westside and Stevens Avenue was already red when [the bus] continued through the intersection of Stevens and Westside Avenue.”

“The footage also shows [the victim] View of the traffic light on Westside Avenue. Since the light appeared to be red, he continued north on Westside when he was [the bus].

“Driver of [the bus] stated that he was traveling north on Westside Avenue and was passing Stevens Avenue when he felt “something” hit the bus. He then slowed until he saw a person lying on the ground.”

A post on the website Reddit appears to confirm police's description that Alva was riding his scooter north before being struck from behind by the bus. The 15-year-old author was on the bus at the time of the incident and said it looked as if Alva “was trying to 'outrun' the bus and pretended to race it.”

In a written statement, an NJ Transit spokesperson simply said: “On Friday, August 23, at approximately 11:56 a.m., an NJ TRANSIT bus traveling on Route 80 toward Montgomery Street & Greene Street in Jersey City struck and fatally injured a scooter rider at the intersection of West Side Avenue & Van Nostrand Avenue in Jersey City. The 40 passengers on the bus were not injured. The Jersey City Police Department is leading the investigation.”

Jersey City did not respond to a request for comment.

Colin DeVries, also of Safe Streets Jersey City, is calling on NJ Transit to release the dashboard camera footage. DeVries said, “People outside of motor vehicles are the most vulnerable road users and can be killed if a driver disregards the law. That's why we are committed to safe places for all road users, including the most vulnerable groups such as pedestrians, cyclists, scooter riders, skateboarders, power wheelchair users and others. We await news on charges in this murder case after the investigation by the police and Hudson County District Attorney's Office is complete. The family of Timothy Alva deserves justice.”

News of the accident first appeared on Reddit. “Top-Carrot4369” described how he went to the scene of the accident. “All the passengers and the driver were standing outside and in a state of turmoil. As I approached, I noticed a man lying in the middle of the road next to a broken e-scooter. There were no police on the scene yet and the accident had only just happened. I stood there wondering why no one was helping the man. Witnesses, both from the bus and passersby, seemed to believe he was beyond help – some said he 'died on the spot.'”

The danger for pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders has increased as Jersey City's streets become more crowded. Last March, a 33-year-old man was hospitalized after being hit by a car while riding an electric scooter downtown. The driver fled. Last month, a cyclist was hospitalized after crashing into a car on Newark Avenue. Automobile and alternative mobility advocates have increasingly clashed as the city has built protected bike lanes, partially removed parking spaces and reduced the number of lanes for cars.

In 2018, the city implemented Vision Zero, described as “a comprehensive strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries and improve safe, healthy and equitable mobility for all.” The success of Vision Zero is unclear so far. The administration's own statistics do not appear to show a significant decrease in deaths on the city's streets since implementation.

Lee said: “Buses are great and very safe for passengers, but like other large, heavy vehicles, it is important to operate them with caution.”

Meanwhile, Alva's death has shocked many. According to reports, Alva had planned to marry his girlfriend of ten years in September.

In a message to the Jersey City Times, Top-Carrot4369 described his feelings after the crash.

“I learned more about the victim and his family through a Reddit post when they contacted me. It was devastating to find out that such a kind person had to go so quickly… It clearly wasn't his fault alone. Someone shared that he had just left his house to get coffee for himself and his fiancée, but never returned. It broke my heart to hear that. Although I didn't know TJ personally, I feel deep sadness.”