San Jose State postpones game after running back from L.A. is struck, killed by bus
San Jose police are still working on finding and interviewing witnesses, and they are investigating whether a bus played a role in the deaths.
A female off-duty L.A. police officer was run down and killed by an 8-passenger bus in a collision early this morning in San Jose, police said at a Tuesday news conference. Authorities have not yet determined whether the officer was struck in an effort to divert the bus or if it was an unprovoked crime.
The officer, identified as Mary “Mandy” Smith, was pronounced dead at the hospital, San Jose police Sgt. Enrique Garcia said. The officer’s identity will not be released until family members have been notified, Garcia said.
Authorities did not identify the driver of the bus who ran down the woman. Garcia would not comment on the driver’s identity.
Smith’s death comes a week after a motorcyclist was struck and killed by a bus near East San Jose, police said. That motorcyclist, whose name has not yet been released, was identified as Mary Sanchez, 49, a San Jose resident.
In March, a man was arrested after riding his bike while weaving across four lanes of traffic on San Antonio Highway, police said. Police said the man hit the traffic and killed a woman in a crosswalk. A preliminary investigation has not been completed, and police later said they have not confirmed whether the man was at fault.
The San Jose State campus is set to open its doors for the first time on Wednesday, April 6. The school said the game against visiting Nevada State will be played at San José Stadium on the San Jose campus.
The game will replace an earlier home game the Spartans had played in 2008 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose. The annual game traditionally kicks off the college football season and pits the Spartans against UNLV.
San Jose State is scheduled to begin the season with a week-long spring break in early May.
A man was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison for running over a man’s foot during an assault in which the victim had a pellet gun shoved into his mouth, authorities said.
John Patrick McNulty, 25, of Santa Cruz, was sentenced by Justice Karen White. McN