'Worst thing I've seen in my life': Durham bus crashes into pole, strikes pedestrian

The woman, Lawanda Gail Rigsbee, 56, of Durham, was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later. The driver of the bus was taken to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

Alexandra Taverez, 53, was cited for misdemeanor death and making an unsafe movement a couple weeks after the incident.

Rigsbee's mother was reportedly standing right beside her at the time.

Brandon Ruffin, who was waiting for the bus at the time, said, "I was coming out of the building. It happened so fast. I just saw the bus move and hit the pole, and I didn't realize that it was a lady that was hit until after I had gotten outside."

He described the crash as "traumatic."

"That was probably the worst thing I've ever seen in life. In front of me. Just to see her laying there, unresponsive," he said.

"All of a sudden I heard this loud sound – maybe 30 yards away from me. And saw a lady on the ground. She really wasn't moving at all," he said.

"She started shaking really bad and her foot let up off the brake – and she went into the pole while the lady was walking through at the same time," Ruffin said.

Several police and medics had arrived, and the area was blocked off with crime scene tape.