Bus Driver Allegedly Involved in Striking Pottstown Woman Was Unaware of Woman Being Struck, Say Authorities

The woman who drove the school bus allegedly involved in striking an elderly Pottstown woman on Sept 9. who died at the scene in Lower Pottsgrove seems not to have noticed that she struck the woman, according to authorities, though their investigation continues, according to The Mercury.

Authorities have not filed charges at this point, and they have no released the name of the driver.

“It seems clear that she did not know this event took place at the time it occurred. There is no indication, in all of the evidence we have gathered to date, that she actually knew she struck another person,” said  Risa Vetri Ferman, the Montgomery County District Attorney.

The driver contacted authorities when she realized that there was a problem, and has been cooperative with authorities, Ferman said.  

The elderly victim was Shirley Wilhelm, 78, who was on her morning walk near the intersection of North Charlotte Street and Mervine Street when she was supposedly struck by the bus, said authorities. Wilhelm died at the scene.

Representatives from the Pottsgrove School District and the Pottstown School District maintain that the bus in question was not from their districts.

“In this case there were a number of individuals on the school bus which was involved and we had to speak to those people,” said Ferman. “We typically do toxicology tests. We’ll do mechanical inspection of the vehicle and accident reconstruction,” she said.

The investigation is continuing, Ferman said.