Lawsuit filed by family of Phoenix mother killed by Valley Metro bus

The family of Angelica Davila, a Phoenix woman who was hit and killed by a Valley Metro bus earlier this year, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against bus operator Transdev Services Inc.

Davila was struck and killed on May 28 as she was changing buses near 59th Avenue and Van Buren Street while on her way to work at the Arizona Department of Corrections.

The complaint alleges that the driver of the bus, Ana Maria Rivas, hit Davila while she was looking left but steering the bus right then dragged Davila underneath the bus for several seconds.

In connection with Davila’s death, Rivas pleaded guilty to causing a death by a moving violation.

Rivas has been charged three times with driving on a suspended, revoked or canceled license, according to the suit. She also allegedly has a history of speeding, unsafe lane changes and failures to appear in court that led to arrest warrants, as well as her license being suspended for 12 months.

Davila’s family is being represented by attorneys Jonathan O’Steen and Matthew MacLeod of O’Steen MacLeod Combs.

“Angelica did everything right. She was in the crosswalk. She had the walk signal. She was simply trying to get to work,” O’Steen said in a news release. “We’re fighting for her family and demanding answers about the decisions that led to her death.”

The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages from Transdev, claiming it was negligent in hiring and supervising Rivas, as well as entrusting her with a bus.

“Before handing someone the keys to a public transit bus, a company needs to know who it’s putting behind the wheel,” MacLeod said. “We will hold Transdev accountable for the decisions that cost Angelica her life.”

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