Newly released video captures heroic passengers stopping Seattle bus after driver collapses

Last month, a King County bus driver suffered a medical emergency and lost consciousness while driving through Seattle, causing the bus to collide with seven vehicles across five blocks before multiple passengers brought it to a stop and attended to the driver.

The newly released video, seen above, shows the passengers banding together to stop the bus. The video was obtained by KIRO Newsradio and “The John Curley Show.”

Editor’s note: This video contains some strong language

Passengers stop King County bus after driver collapses

One of the passengers who stopped the bus from causing any more damage, Ernie Makinson, wearing a black coat and hat in the video above, appeared on “The John Curley Show” to share how the incident unfolded.

Makinson was sitting in the back of the bus, headed to the senior center for lunch, when it suddenly hit a car. At first, he thought other passengers were helping the driver, but he found out the situation was actually escalating.

“When he hit the first car, I stood up, and there were a lot of women up front, and I thought they were, because they were around the driver, I thought they were dealing with it,” he said. “And there was a guy there. I thought he was dealing with it, but then, when he kept hitting vehicles, someone yelled out, ‘Hey, he’s not stopping!’ So I ran up and pushed my way in past everybody.”

As Makinson was trying to resuscitate the driver, he said he was also trying to drive the bus. And once the bus finally stopped, the driver, who appeared to be near death, came back to life.

“At the same time, I’m trying to drive. I got my hand on the steering wheel, on the other hand, trying to get this guy back to life,” Makinson said. “So I’m pounding on his chest. And he didn’t respond. So I got in between the driver and the steering column.

“And then when I hit the brake, while he got his foot off the gas pedal, I hit the brakes, and my face went through the window, and my glasses got broken,” he continued. “And so then I steered it to the curb, and I threw the air brakes on. I unbuckled him and tossed him to the ground, and that’s when he raised up off the ground and took a deep breath. He came back.”

In addition to having his glasses broken in the incident, Makinson suffered a serious back injury, and his backpack was stolen.

King County Metro refuses to cover broken glasses

Makinson, who is 64 years old, injured his arm and his spine and now has to use a walker. He also said he lost his job because of the crash.

“This is a real kick in the gut,” he said.

On top of all of that, a thief stole money from Makinson’s backpack amid the chaos.

“My backpack was in the back of the bus. Some dude darted on the bus — when I’m up front, and I’m steering to the curb — jumped in, and took money and my key bank card out of my backpack,” he said.

When Makinson asked for a replacement pair of glasses, King County Metro told him it wasn’t liable for the glasses breaking after they were thrown through the windshield, before the department allegedly hung up on him.

Driver had a blood pressure issue

According to Makinson, the driver was exclaiming that he was not suffering from a heart attack, but was having an issue with his blood pressure. The audio can be heard in the video above.

“I’m telling the truth. They don’t show that on the video. He knew he had a blood pressure problem,” Makinson said on “The John Curley Show.” “If he knew, then Metro knew, and if Metro knew, then they’re liable. If they’re not accountable through me, then they need to be accountable to somebody else, right? Because in Texas, you’re not allowed to be on a job site with a blood pressure problem.”

According to the federal Department of Transportation, a physical exam is required every two years for bus drivers, which includes a blood pressure check, a vision test, a hearing test, a neurological assessment, a review of medical conditions, and a cardiovascular assessment.

“He’s driving a public bus in a preschool area, right?” Makinson said. “Imagine if that bus didn’t hit cars, but hit preschoolers walking across the street.”

Makinson is currently working with an attorney to pursue damages on behalf of the City of Seattle.

King County Metro responds

King County Metro released a statement following the incident.

“We aren’t in a position to comment on our employee’s medical information,” King County Metro stated. “As for liability, we received claims from people for several vehicles that were damaged in this incident and are working through the claims process, and this includes addressing a claim filed by Ernie’s attorney.

We appreciate and thank Ernie and others who stepped in to take control of the bus and prevent further tragedy,” the statement continued. “Their actions were heroic, and we continue to acknowledge them for their bravery.”

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