A woman who fell off a bus almost lost her leg after the bus wheel rolled over the leg, which was damaged from above the knee all the way to the ankle.

Rachel Burke, 25, of Bainville, Hattieville, has been admitted to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), where she is being treated for the injuries. The incident occurred about 10:30 yesterday morning at a pedestrian crossing between Miles 15 and 16 on the George Price Highway in Hattieville. The driver of the bus, Elias Salazar, 41, has been issued with a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP).

Police reports are that when they went to the site of the accident, they saw a white, blue and red D&E bus on the right side of the highway facing the direction of Belize City. Their initial investigation revealed that Salazar was driving the bus to Belize City and upon reaching the pedestrian ramp, Rachel Burke, one of the bus’ passengers, went to the front of the bus. At that point, the driver stopped over the ramp and the door was opened.

Burke, however, did not come off the bus, and apparently, the driver didn’t notice. He reportedly released the brakes and the bus moved off. Burke reportedly fell out of the bus and the right front wheel of the bus ran over her right leg. She was rushed to the KHMH, where she was admitted to ward in a stable condition.

A passenger on the bus who witnessed the incident told police that the bus was crowded, and near the Hattieville Police Station, Burke saw her children standing in the area. She moved up to the driver and told him that she had to get off the bus to get her children because they were waiting for her on the roadside near the crossing.

The driver allegedly told her that she couldn’t get off as yet, and the bus moved forward, and that was when Burke fell out of the bus, because she was already coming out.

Burke was immediately taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in a pickup truck by a relative of one of the witnesses.

Police are investigating.