Fatal accident in Asunción's Mercado 4: Woman run over by bus while crossing street

A fatal traffic accident has claimed the life of a 68-year-old woman in Asunción's bustling Mercado 4 district. The incident occurred on Rodríguez de Francia street when the woman was struck by a public transport bus as she attempted to cross the road to board the vehicle.

According to witness accounts and police reports, the tragedy unfolded around 12:30 p.m. The bus driver told authorities that he had stopped to let passengers off and, upon moving the vehicle again, did not see the woman who was attempting to cross from the central median to the south sidewalk. The impact from the bus, involving both the front and rear wheels, caused fatal injuries to the woman's face and mid-section.

Emergency services, including forensic investigators and the district prosecutor, were dispatched to the scene. While the woman's identity and her reason for being at the market, whether as a worker or a customer, were initially unclear, police confirmed they had contacted her family. The bus driver remained at the scene and was taken for an alcohol test as per protocol, with further proceedings to be determined by the Public Ministry.

One witness, Irma López, described the chaotic moments, stating she tried to alert the driver by hitting the bus. "I hit him a lot so he would stay, because he didn't see her," she recounted. "I was hitting the door again, 'Get down, you already killed the lady,' I told him. 'What?' he said, 'You killed the lady, get down,' I told him. He also got scared and then got down."

The incident highlights the inherent dangers of busy urban intersections, particularly in areas with high pedestrian and vehicle traffic like Mercado 4. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident to determine any contributing factors and accountability.

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Allá yo estaba sentada y ella pasó. Ella creía que a ella se le quedó y él estaba bajando pasajeros nomás y ella pasó, le agarró el frente de aquel lado la rueda, no le vio el chofer, y la rueda trasera después. Yo le golpee mucho a él para que se quede, porque no le vio. Le iba a llevar abajo. Porque yo le golpee nomás él se queda, después le dije, le golpee otra vez la puerta, ‘bajate, ya le mataste a la señora’, le dije, ‘¿qué?’, me dijo, ‘le mataste a la señora, bajate’, le dije. Se asustó también él y después se bajó, le bajó también a todos sus pasajeros