Maskless Woman Denied Bus Entry, Gets Run Over By Same Vehicle And Dies In California

In the name of public health and safety, a California woman named Lucy Prieto Frescas, 59, recently died after being denied entry to a San Jose public bus because she refused to wear a face mask as policy mandates in Santa Clara County, California.

As the vehicle was departing, Prieto Frescas allegedly tripped and somehow fell underneath the bus, and was subsequently run over by the back wheels of that same vehicle. For its part, the San Jose Valley Transport Authority — which operates the bus in question — has claimed that the woman ran after the bus after safely stepping onto the sidewalk and fell under the wheels unbeknownst to the driver.

According to The Mercury News, the incident occurred on February 9, but the woman passed away from injuries this past Monday, February 21. Both the bus company as well as a brother of the woman are unclear as to what exactly happened during the conversation when Prieto Frescas was told she had to wear a mask, the local paper reported:

Stacey Hendler Ross, a VTA spokesperson, said the woman tried to board the Route 73 bus at the front door. When the driver told her she couldn’t ride, she returned to the sidewalk and as the bus pulled away she stepped off the curb and “chased after the coach and fell.”

“I don’t know the specific exchange between them except that she refused to put a mask on,” Hendler Ross said.

VTA bus drivers have had masks to share with riders during the pandemic although they often run out, said Armando Barbosa, a veteran driver.

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