APD closes probe of deadly bus accident

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin police and Capital Metro officials said it was a tragic accident when a CapMetro bus ran over a University of Texas student who lost his balance and landed under the bus just before it took off.

New video released by the transit agency late Thursday shows Andy Wang, 22, stumbling off the bus. He appears intoxicated as a friend tries to help him keep his balance. When the two get off the bus, Wang falls backward and lands underneath the back tire. The bus driver takes off, not knowing Wang was beneath the bus.

The video shows horrified passengers asking the driver to stop the bus. That driver later tries to keep those passengers away from the terrible scene outside the bus.

Wang was later pronounced dead at the hospital. He was set to graduate from The University of Texas in December.

"A quietly intoxicated person is going to be allowed to ride public transportation," said CapMetro spokeswoman Erika McKewen. "That's part of our mission."

Wang did not appear to be causing any problems while riding the bus home to his East Austin apartment from Downtown in the early morning hours of April 20.

"That's why a lot of people on weekends choose Capital Metro, because we are a safe alternative to getting behind their own wheel of a car after they've been drinking downtown," said McKewen.

Some riders of the E-bus route, the one Wang was riding before he died, said it can get rowdy. McKewen said CapMetro partners with Austin police to keep things under control.

"We have a great partnership with APD, and occasionally plain clothes officers will ride our services when we know that there's an issue on a particular route or area of town -- that sort of thing," McKewen said.

The bus driver in this incident was not cited. He was put on administrative leave -- which is standard procedure -- and will return to work next week.