Tour bus hits, kills woman in Dos Palos

A woman walking across a street was killed Tuesday afternoon in Dos Palos after being struck by a tour bus, police reported.

The woman has been identified by Dos Palos police as Cindy Alias, 40, of Merced.

The incident was reported at 5 p.m. on Highway 33, the main north-south artery through the city, at Blossom Street, according to Officer Cliff Battles of the Dos Palos Police Department.

The circumstances of how the incident happened remain under investigation. Battles said police are reviewing video footage.

Alias was walking westbound on Blossom crossing Highway 33 when she was hit. At the time, the bus was turning eastbound from Blossom onto Highway 33.

Alias was hit by the front of the bus and pulled underneath it. When police arrived, she was pinned beneath a front wheel. The bus was carrying about 30 passengers, Battles said. Alias was pronounced dead at the scene.

Battles said DUI and distracted driving were not factors in the crash.

No other details have been released.

This story was originally published March 4, 2015 at 7:46 AM.