Robert Bush v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

District Court, D. Maryland·Decided November 14, 2025·No. 8:23-cv-03386·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND

) ROBERT BUSH, ) ) Plaintiff, ) Civil Action No. 23-cv-03386-LKG ) v. ) Dated: November 14, 2025 ) WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN ) AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY, ) ) Defendant. ) )

MEMORANDUM OPINION I. INTRODUCTION In this civil action, the Plaintiff, Robert Bush, brings a claim for negligence against the Defendant, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (“WMATA”), arising from the Plaintiff’s collision with a WMATA MetroBus on April 11, 2022. ECF No. 34-1 at 1-2 (Complaint). The parties have filed cross-motions for summary judgment on this claim. ECF Nos. 27, 30 and 30-1. The parties’ cross-motions are fully briefed. ECF Nos. 27, 30, 30-1, 31, 32 and 33. No hearing is necessary to resolve the motion. L.R. 105.6 (D. Md. 2025). For the reasons that follow, the Court: (1) DENIES the Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 27); (2) GRANTS the Defendant’s cross-motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 30); (3) ENTERS JUDGMENT summarily in favor of the Defendant with regards to the Plaintiff’s negligence claim; and (4) DISMISSES the complaint. II. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND1 A. Factual Background In this civil action, the Plaintiff brings a negligence claim against the Defendant arising from his collision with a WMATA MetroBus, while he was riding an electric bicycle and travelling through a crosswalk, on April 11, 2022. See generally, ECF No. 34-1 at 1 ¶¶ 1-6 (Complaint); see also ECF No. 34-1 at 23 and 34 (Transcript Of Plaintiff’s Deposition at 21:7-11

1 The facts recited in this memorandum opinion are taken from the joint record submitted by the parties in support of their cross-motions for summary judgment, the cross-motions for summary judgment, and the responses in opposition thereto. ECF Nos. 27, 30, 30-1, 31, 32 and 34-1. and 32:20-22). In the complaint, the Plaintiff alleges that the driver of the WMATA MetroBus breached his duty to the Plaintiff, by failing “to pay full time and attention to his driving, [failing] to keep a proper lookout, [making] an unsafe turn, [making] an improper lane change, [failing] to keep his motor vehicle in its proper lane of travel, [failing] to yield the right of way, and [driving] the [MetroBus] in a negligent, reckless, and careless manner, all in violation of the motor vehicle rules and regulations of the State of Maryland.” Id. at 1 at ¶ 5. The Plaintiff also alleges that he was injured as a direct and proximate result of the WMATA MetroBus driver’s actions. Id. at ¶ 6. And so, the Plaintiff seeks, among other things, to recover monetary damages, punitive damages, post-judgment interest and costs from WMATA. Id. at Prayer for Relief. The Parties The Plaintiff is a Maryland resident. Id. at 1. Defendant WMATA provides transportation services in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and it is the employer of Andre Williams, the driver of the MetroBus at issue in this dispute. Id. The April 11, 2022, Incident This dispute arises from a collision between the Plaintiff and a WMATA MetroBus that occurred on April 11, 2022, in Prince George’s County, Maryland (the “April 11, 2022, Incident”). ECF No. 34-1 at 1 (Complaint); ECF No. 34-1 at 102-108 (Def. Ex. 7, Transit Police Event Report). At the time of the April 11, 2022, Incident, the Plaintiff was 43 years old and he was riding on an electric bicycle. ECF No. 34-1 at 1-2 (Complaint); ECF No. 34-1 at 23 (Def. Ex. 2, Pl. Dep. Tr. at 21:7-11); ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def. Ex. 4, Bus Camera 6, 7037_06_CSR_Curbside Rearward, at 14:52:54 to 14:53:05); ECF No. 34-1 at 91 (Def. Ex. 2, Plaintiff’s Answers to Defendant’s Interrogatories, “Pl. Answ.” at 1). It is undisputed that, on April 11, 2022, at approximately 2:50 p.m., Metrobus 7037 (the “MetroBus”) was travelling on route P12 near the Suitland Metro Station. ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def. Ex. 4, Bus Camera 1, 7037_01_FF_Forward Facing, at 14:50:00); ECF No. 34-1 at 107 (Def. Ex. 7, Transit Police Event Report). It is also undisputed that the MetroBus executed a right turn into the crosswalk on Metro Road (the “Crosswalk”) at 2:53:04 pm. ECF No. 34-1 at 107 (Def. Ex. 7, Transit Police Event Report); ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def. Ex. 4, Bus Camera 6, 7037_06_CSR_Curbside Rearward, at 14:53:04). The parties agree that the Plaintiff was riding his electric bicycle on a sidewalk on April 11, 2022, at 2:52:54 pm, immediately before he entered the Crosswalk and made impact with the MetroBus. ECF No. 34-1 at 34 (Def. Ex. 2, Pl. Dep. Tr. at 32:20-22); ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def Ex. 4, Bus Camera 6, 7037_06_CSR_Curbside Rearward, at 14:52:54 to 14:53:05). The parties also agree that the MetroBus entered the Crosswalk before the Plaintiff did so while riding his electric bicycle. ECF No. 34-1 at 51-52 (Def. Ex. 2, Pl. Dep. Tr. at 49:11-50:1); ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def. Ex. 4, Bus Camera 6, 7037_06_CSR_Curbside Rearward, at 14:53:04). The undisputed video footage of the April 11, 2022, Incident shows that the Plaintiff made impact with the side of the MetroBus at 3:53:05 pm.2 ECF No. 34-1 at 52 (Def. Ex. 2, Pl. Dep. Tr. at 50:2-8); ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def Ex. 4, Bus Camera 6, 7037_06_CSR_Curbside Rearward, at 14:53:05). This video footage also shows that, prior to making impact with the side of the MetroBus, the Plaintiff rode alongside the MetroBus for approximately 11 seconds. ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def Ex. 4, Bus Camera 6, 7037_06_CSR_Curbside Rearward, at 14:52:54- 14:53:05). In addition, the video evidence shows that a yellow diamond-shaped pedestrian crossing sign with the words “Across Ramp” was located a few feet before the start of the Crosswalk. ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def. Ex. 4, Bus Camera 1, 7037_01_FF_Forward Facing, at 14:52:45-56). The video evidence also shows that two yellow diamond-shaped pedestrian crossing signs with arrows pointing to the Crosswalk were also located on either side of the Crosswalk during the April 11, 2022, Incident. ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def. Ex. 4, Bus Camera 1, 7037_01_FF_Forward Facing, at 14:53:00). The video evidence also shows that there was no flashing crosswalk sign for the Crosswalk where the April 11, 2022, Incident occurred. ECF No. 34-1 at 97 (Def. Ex. 4, Bus Camera 1, 7037_01_FF_Forward Facing, at 14:53:01- 14:53:05); ECF No. 34-1 at 65 (Def. Ex. 2, Pl. Dep. Tr. at 63:12-21). It is undisputed that the Plaintiff was not wearing a helmet and that he could see clearly at the time of the April 11, 2022, Incident. ECF No. 34-1 at 40 (Def. Ex. 2, Pl. Dep. Tr. at 38:11- 12); ECF No. 34-1 at 40 (Def. Ex. 2, Pl. Dep. Tr. at 38:13-22); ECF No. 27 at ¶¶ 8-9. It is undisputed that the Plaintiff did not have any problems with the steering on the electric bicycle at

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Robert Bush v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, (D. Md. 2025).

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