University of Utah professor dies after falling from campus shuttle

A former University of Utah professor died from injuries sustained when she fell out the emergency exit of a campus shuttle Thursday.

The 63-year-old, whose identity has not been released, was standing on a westbound shuttle bus that was turning left from North Campus Drive onto Mario Capecchi Drive on campus about 8:20 p.m. when she was somehow thrown backward toward the emergency exit and fell out of the shuttle, said University Police Sgt. Mike McPharlin.

The woman was transported to University Hospital for emergency surgery, but later died, McPharlin said.

U. police are attempting to notify the family of the woman, who they believe live in China.

University officials said the woman last taught on campus in 2000 as an associate professor and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2003.

The bus involved in the accident was inspected by university police and the Utah Highway Patrol and found to be "roadworthy," according to a statement from the university. However, the bus and two others like it have been removed from service as a precaution.

Investigators also found no evidence of driver error, the university said.

"We're all a little depressed up here," said Norman Chambers, assistant vice president for the University of Utah.

"The employee who was driving the vehicle was devastated by the whole thing," Chambers said. "The indication is that he was just making a normal turn, but we're making sure we get the facts in and wait until the police make their report."

Chambers said there hasn't been an accident like this in the 20 years that the U. has been operating shuttles on its campus.

"We think it's tragic and we obviously want to make sure we get all the facts so we can get to the bottom of what transpired," Chambers said. "Right now, we're even afraid to guess what happened until everything is thoroughly investigated."

He said all of the shuttles in the University of Utah's fleet are regularly checked and given repairs when necessary.

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