By: Amanda Rabines and Maria Soledad Lorenzino
University students heading to the Biscayne Bay campus were late to class after an Academy Bus crashed into an FIU police cruiser at the Modesto Maidique campus.
Teresita Blanco, a senior studying journalism, says she was in the bus when the accident happened and that it made her 35 minutes late for her first day of class at BBC.
“It was by my window so I really saw,” said Blanco.
The accident happened at the traffic circle on the 16th street entrance of the University while the bus was trying to make its departure.
“It’s a big bus, it has to make a very wide turn,” said Blanco. “The cop had a bigger car than usual and it was parked a little further back.”
Alexander D. Casas, chief of FIU’s police department said the car was left dented but that the problem between the driver and cop was resolved.
“No one’s getting penalized,” said Casas, about the officers. “It’s as simple as the driver misjudged the turn.”
The students on the 8 am bus were more verbal. Some languished the half an hour waiting period before another bus picked them up.
Others posted complaints on social media.
Alejandro Hernandez, a senior studying journalism said the accident could have been avoided had it not been for the police officer’s parking.
“You know the bus needs that space to get out so why are you going to do that,” said Hernandez. “You’re trying to help the people to flow with the traffic, but when you park the police car right there, you’re not helping anyone.”
Casas, however, says the vehicle was properly parked. “We do that to visible. To be safe,” he said.
Although the Department of Parking and Transportation was unavailable for comment, their website states that additional police officers and public safety technicians will be directing traffic at major intersections and inside the campus during the first week of class.
Parking Garage 6, Tech Station, was also made available for additional parking in order to cut traffic during the first weeks of school.
-amanda.rabines@fiusm.com
-maria.lorenzino@fiusm.com