A Milwaukee bus driver who fell asleep at the wheel ran over an elderly pedestrian, dragging him for a block before he died in front of his grandson on Christmas Day.
Montrell Pharm, 53, was sentenced to two years in prison after prosecutors presented a video in court on Thursday, showing the former Milwaukee County Transit System driver dozing off in the driver’s seat before he struck Robert Clemons, 79, around 11 p.m. on December 25, 2024.
The video footage revealed the bus crashing into a line of parked cars before hitting Clemons and his grandson, who were in the road fixing their truck. Clemons was dragged underneath the vehicle as his grandson attempted to chase down the bus but was hindered by a broken arm and leg.
Another pedestrian managed to get the driver’s attention, prompting him to stop about a block away.
Upon police arrival, an officer observed a trail of blood leading to where the bus had come to a halt. The bus had sustained damage to its front end and a broken passenger side windshield, as noted in the complaint.
First responders extracted Clemons from under the bus and pronounced him dead at the scene.
Pharm, who had been working long hours since December 22 and had only six hours of sleep the night before the incident, stated to the police that he was looking straight ahead and felt he had a clear path before suddenly feeling the impact.
Pharm pleaded no contest on January 20 to charges of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and reckless driving causing great bodily harm.
In addition to his two-year prison sentence, Pharm will also serve an additional three years of extended supervision upon his release.
“I pray and sincerely ask for your forgiveness. This was an unintentional accident,” Pharm expressed in a statement to the victim’s family.
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