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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Tristan Kirk

Bus driver faces criminal charges over death of pedestrian at Victoria Station

A London bus driver is facing criminal charges over a crash at Victoria Station which left one woman dead and another seriously injured in hospital.

Olusofa Popoola, 59, is accused of causing the death by dangerous driving of 32-year-old Melissa Burr in the incident on August 10 last year.

He was the driver of a single decker electric bus which crashed into the back of another bus at the busy south London terminus.

Popoola is also accused of seriously injuring another woman, Diana Mathuranayagam, in the same crash.

Melissa Burr was killed on August 10 last year (Met Police)

He was charged after an investigation by the Metropolitan Police, and is due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday.

Ms Burr, from Rainham in Kent, was reportedly walking between two 507 single decker buses when the crash happened, at roughly 8.25am.

One woman was killed and three people were injured (PA Wire)

In a statement, her grieving family said: “We are absolutely devastated by loss and the hole that this incident has left in our lives.

“Melissa was a kind and thoughtful soul, had a quirky charm with such a bright future ahead of her.”

Transport for London’s director of buses Louise Cheeseman called it an “absolutely tragic” incident, and promised a “thorough investigation” to identify any safety improvements that might be needed at Victoria Station.

“We are extremely saddened that Melissa Burr died after a collision with a bus and our thoughts remain with her family and friends”, she said.

Popoola, from Peckham, is accused of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

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