Former Fresno FAX bus driver who killed pedestrian in crosswalk will see no jail time
A former FAX bus driver, who was accused of hitting and killing a pedestrian in 2018, was sentenced to two years probation and 180 days of community service.
Police said Rudy Alderette, 72, was driving his bus in the early morning hours of Jan. 19 in central Fresno when the victim, Javier Silva, 62, entered into the crosswalk at Shields and Fruit avenues.
Alderette, who was northbound on Fruit and turning left onto Shields, struck the victim with the front of the bus and the back wheel ran him over. Alderette, a FAX bus driver for 18 years, told investigators he thought he hit a box, but he did not stop.
Family members said Silva was on his way to a nearby coffee shop, part of his morning routine, when he was hit by the bus.
Alderette was arrested a short time later and charged with felony hit and run resulting in permanent injury or death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.
On Thursday, Alderette and his attorney Marc Kapetan told Judge Mike Idiart they had agreed to a plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutor Sandra Garcia agreed to reduce the felony hit and run charge to a misdemeanor. In exchange, Alderette withdrew his not guilty plea and pleaded no contest to both charges. The deal also included no jail time.
Idiart accepted the agreement and issued his sentence of two years probation and community service.
No one from Silva’s family was present during Thursday’s hearing. Garcia said she reached out to family members but they chose not to attend.
“They did not want to be present for the sentencing, but they did want the defendant to be held accountable,” Garcia said.
