Pierce Transit employee killed by bus is identified

The Pierce Transit employee who died Tuesday after being struck by a bus at the transit district’s Lakewood headquarters has been identified as 60-year-old Roy Stevens.

Stevens, a maintenance mechanic with the agency for 10 years, was pushing a cart of tools across the parking lot when he was hit about 6:35 p.m. and trapped under the bus, police spokesman Chris Lawler said Wednesday.

Workers used a forklift to try to rescue Stevens, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another employee was pulling a bus out of the service bay, made a turn and hit Stevens. The worker did not see Stevens, and a review of surveillance video confirmed the worker’s account, Lawler said.

The employee is not expected to face charges.

Pierce Transit CEO Sue Dreier called the death “a tragic accident.”

“I am deeply saddened by this loss, and this is a very difficult time at Pierce Transit,” she said in a statement. “Roy was a valued and respected member of our team, and he will be greatly missed. I have been in communication with his family, and my thoughts and deepest condolences are with them at this time.”

Pierce Transit, which lowered its flags to half staff Wednesday, will conduct its own investigation in addition to the investigation by the state Department of Labor & Industries.

“We anticipate that we won’t know the actual outcomes of this case for quite some time,” said Alexandra Fastle, spokeswoman for Pierce Transit. “The nature of these (cases) take time.”

This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 1:06 PM with the headline "Pierce Transit employee killed by bus is identified."