The family of a woman killed by a Metro bus will use settlement money to set up a fund for nonprofits she supported.
Beverly Kinney, 87, was walking in Hyde Park Jan. 11, 2024, when a bus driven by Deon Willis hit her. Willis later pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, a misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service and limited driving privileges.
The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging Willis had a long list of driving violations that should have prevented him from being employed by Metro. Kinney was in a crosswalk with the walk signal illuminated when Willis struck her. Video footage from the bus shows she was clearly visible to the driver as they both waited for the light to turn, and as she entered the crosswalk.
Kinney's family, attorneys, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation Thursday announced a $10 million settlement in the suit against Willis and the Southwest Regional Transit Authority. That settlement dismisses the lawsuit.
Her son John Kinney says setting up the Beverly Seeman Kinney Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation with the settlement money has helped the family in its grief.
"Talking about how we're going to do this fund — every aspect of it — we're always asking ourselves, 'What would she want? What would she do?' " he said. "So that's very healing."
Kinney's husband, Ed McCloughessy, said it's what she would have wanted.
"This was who she was," he said. "She was a very generous person. Not only with her finances, but with her work efforts and time with people."
Metro reforms
In addition to the monetary component, SORTA has agreed to safety reforms aimed at preventing a similar tragedy in the future. Those include an independent auditor to review the transit authority's training program for bus drivers.
The settlement also directs SORTA to seek funding for more cameras on buses that monitor drivers and to post federally required safety data on its website.
SORTA also will revamp Metro driver training to include new training techniques, including video of specific events leading up to Kinney’s death and testimonials from her family. Drivers will be required to take those trainings three times every year.
Metro also will post a QR code and phone number so riders can lodge safety complaints. Nonprofits Kinney supported will get free advertising on Metro buses for the next three years.
"Our deepest sympathies go out to the Kinney family for the tragic loss of Ms. Kinney," a statement from Metro Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Brandy Jones said. "We have reached a resolution that we believe honors her memory and reflects our continued commitment to ensuring the safest possible environment for our employees, passengers, and the public."
Kinney was a retired Princeton Public School teacher. She volunteered for a number of nonprofits during her life, including Cincinnati Public Radio. She was also a longtime financial supporter of CPR.
Read more: