London Bus Kills Cyclist Near Olympic Park, Driver Could Face Charges

A London bus killed a cyclist near the Olympic Park stadium, leading to an arrest for dangerous driving.

London’s Metropolitan Police said the double-decker bus was carrying journalists to the 2012 London Olympics when the bus struck and killed a bicyclist near the boundary of Olympic Park, the complex that surrounds Olympic Stadium, ABC News reported.

There are conflicting reports on the age of the cyclist killed by the London bus. ABC News claimed the man was 28, while the Associated Press said he was 30. The cyclist was pronounced dead about 30 minutes after the accident, which took place at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday on Ruckhold Road in east London.

The accident forced authorities to stop bus transportation in and out of the park.

Police said the driver of the bus that killed the cyclist was a man in his mid-60s, who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of cause death by dangerous driving. He has since been released on bail.

The accident happened near the Olympic Velodrome and close to facilities for Paralympic athletes.

NBC News interrupted its volleyball coverage to announce that the media bus had killed the cyclist, The Huffington Post noted. Al Michaels made an announcement about the accident.

A report from the scene from AFP described “a man’s legs protruding from under the double-decker bus.” The report said that 30 soldiers who had been carrying out security duties near Olympic Park rushed to the scene, stopping traffic as they tried to help the cyclist. Ambulance units and a helicopter-borne team also attempted to save the man, the Associated Press reported.

Police said there were no passengers on the London bus when it killed the cyclist. London police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.