Bus Driver in Fatal Crash to Be Fired

By Christina Siderius, Seattle Times

Oct. 24–King County Metro Transit plans to fire a bus driver who was involved in a head-on collision in April that killed a man in Enumclaw.

The driver, 35-year-old Sandie Olosky, is on suspension pending termination at the end of this month, said Metro spokeswoman Rochelle Ogershok.

Metro determined the fatal crash was a “severe, preventable accident,” she said.

The collision occurred on Highway 164, when Olosky was driving a Metro bus and swerved into oncoming lanes to avoid hitting a vehicle that had slowed. Her bus hit the bumper of that vehicle before colliding with a pickup driven by 21-year-old Michael Dahlquist. Dahlquist died at the scene.

State Patrol Trooper Jeff Merrill said the primary factor in the collision was Olosky’s “significant perception delay” in realizing the vehicle in front of her was slowing down.

“She just simply didn’t see it,” he said.

The Patrol has recommended prosecuting Olosky for second-degree negligent driving. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has not decided whether to file charges.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587, which represents King County Metro workers, did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment.

Metro records show that Olosky, who has worked as a Metro driver since 1994, had been fired in 2005 for failing to announce a stop on the way out of downtown and stopped the bus in an unsafe place. She was rehired after arbitration.

Christina Siderius: csiderius@seattletimes.com

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

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