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Woman in airport shuttle dies after shuttle was hit by red-light runner in Phoenix
Less than one block from her stop, a drunk driver ran a red light, running into the airport shuttle, killing Kathleen Watson.
By: abc15.com staff
PHOENIX, AZ — Police say a woman has died after the airport shuttle she was riding in was struck by a red-light runner Tuesday night.
Phoenix police officers responded to the intersection of 32nd Street and Washington Street around 10 p.m to investigate reports of a two-car collision, according to Phoenix police spokeswoman Mercedes Fortune.
Police say the airport shuttle was traveling northbound on 32nd Street when it was struck by a red light runner traveling east on Washington.
The driver of the bus, a 39-year-old man, and one passenger, a 74-year-old man, suffered minor injuries. Another passenger, 75-year-old Kathleen Watson, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The family of Kathleen said she was coming back from a ten day trip to Hawaii when the airport shuttle she was in was hit head-on by an alleged drunk driver. Kathleen and her life partner were just one block from their car parked in a park n'ride near 32nd Street and Washington Street.
Kathleen's son Toby is too familiar with this story line, His wife Aimee was killed by a drunk driver back in 2002.
"I don't know what the odds of someone losing two of their closest people to them in the world to a drunk driver is - but it just seemed crazy," said Toby Kubler.
The 49-year-old alleged drunk driver of a pickup truck, remained at the scene and was taken to the hospital, Fortune said. Impairment and failure to stop at a red light are said to be factors in the crash, however, charges have not been filed.
32nd St/Washington restricted due to very serious traffic collision. Light rail traffic is affected. #phxtraffic pic.twitter.com/2mKZgfd2dt
— Phoenix Police Department (@phoenixpolice) January 1, 2020