A former University of Maryland student filed a lawsuit against this university and the state on Feb. 3 after a Shuttle-UM bus struck him on the campus in September 2015.
William Fausnaugh, a freshman enrolled in letters and sciences at the time of the incident, suffered non-life threatening injuries but faced “physical pain and suffering, emotion pain and suffering, anxiety, inconvenience … and the loss of many enjoyments of his life” after a crash near the Computer and Space Sciences building, according to court documents obtained by The Diamondback.
He is suing this university and the state for “an amount exceeding $75,000,” the complaint read.
[READ MORE: Shuttle-UM bus hits cyclist, second person struck by UMD bus this month]
Fausnaugh was riding his bike on Stadium Drive near the intersection of Regents Drive, court documents say. At the same time, university employee Donald Nyundzewira was driving a Shuttle-UM bus along Stadium Drive, behind Fausnaugh, according to the complaint.
A witness of the incident said the bicyclist was trying to make a left turn while in the right lane on Stadium Drive, while the bus was in the left lane, The Diamondback reported in September 2015.
The bus and the bicyclist collided near the Computer and Space Sciences Building, University Police spokeswoman Sgt. Rosanne Hoaas said after the incident.
[READ MORE: Do UMD students get free tuition if they get hit by a Shuttle-UM bus?]
“Mr. Nyundzewira did fail … to obey the laws, rules, and regulations of the State of Maryland, and to otherwise operate his vehicle in a reasonable, prudent and safe manner,” Fausnaugh’s complaint read.
The court issued Maryland State Treasurer Nancy Kopp a copy of the complaint Feb. 15. After receiving it, she has 30 days to file a response.
Jeffrey Bloom, the attorney representing Fausnaugh in the suit, declined to comment on the ongoing case.
“We are aware of the lawsuit, but it is our longtime practice not to comment on ongoing legislation,” said university spokesman Brian Ullmann.
