Seattle, WA — June 10, 2025, two women were killed as the result of a shuttle bus accident at around 10:30 a.m. off Broadway.

Preliminary details about the accident say that it happened off the intersection of Broadway and Alders Street, near Boren Avenue.

Investigators determined that two elderly women were in a designated smoking area outside of the Hilltop House Retirement Community. While there, a Hilltop shuttle van was backing up when it somehow hit the two women in the smoking area. As a result, both women ultimately succumbed to fatal injuries.

There were no other reported injuries due to the accident. Authorities have not confirmed a cause of the crash, though they mentioned looking into a possible "mechanical problem."

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

If nothing else, I hope the mention of a possible mechanical issue is a sign authorities have well-equipped, experienced investigators examining these events. Too often, I see authorities focus solely on the driver's actions and other surface-level details. Don't get me wrong—driver error is still the most likely explanation here. However, there can be extenuating circumstances to consider, and a typical police isn't often enough to cover all of that.

For example, was there indeed a mechanical issue here? That involves more than just pinpointing an issue; it also requires answering why the issue occurred. Was the vehicle not maintained properly? Was it being misused or put under undue stress? Was there some kind of manufacturing issue the vehicle owners couldn't have possibly foreseen? This requires pulling maintenance records and having the bus closely examined by a trained specialist with the right tools who can distinguish between a maintenance issue and a manufacturing defect.

But in the event there wasn't a mechanical issue, things can also be very complex. Did authorities pull phone records? Were there cameras on the bus or at nearby businesses? Was this bus driver properly trained? Did they have a history of making mistakes? Was this designated smoking area in an unnecessarily dangerous place? Have their been complaints from residents before that something like this might happen?

Ultimately, even if the factors leading to this accident end up being simple, the process of ruling out all possible factors is anything but. Again, my hope is authorities are taking every possible step to analyze these events properly. However, my experience taught me it's best not to take that for granted. That's why it can be helpful to follow up with authorities early and often after any fatal accident. That way, people can gauge whether or not the accident might be better off in the hands of more focused independent investigators.