(Tribune file photo) Richard Wirick, 82, who owned the Oxford Shop Shoe Store, at 65 W. 100 South, since 1951, died Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, after being run over by a Utah Transit Authority bus.

Charges filed against bus driver in death of Salt Lake’s ‘Mr. Downtown’

Courts » Woman faces misdemeanor charge in fatal crash.

By Jessica Miller

| The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published Feb 22 2013 10:06 am • Last Updated Feb 22 2013 11:01 pm

Almost exactly one year after Richard "Mr. Downtown" Wirick was killed when a bus ran him over in Salt Lake City, charges were filed against the Utah Transit Authority bus driver who hit the 82-year-old businessman.

Cheryl Anne Kidd, 50, was charged Wednesday in Salt Lake Justice Court with one count of negligent operation causing personal injury, a class B misdemeanor, and failing to yield the right of way at a crosswalk, an infraction.

Kidd was arraigned Thursday, the one year anniversary of the accident that killed Wirick.

Wirick owned the Oxford Shop shoe store, at 65 W. 100 South, for almost 60 years. He earned his nickname for his support of downtown businesses.

On Feb. 21, 2012, Wirick was at the intersection of 200 East and 400 South. A Salt Lake City police report says Wirick was on the west side of 200 East, walking north.

Wirick was still in the crosswalk when the traffic signals changed. The UTA bus had a green light when it hit Wirick in the far right, westbound lane of 400 South, according to the police report.

Wirick was trapped under the bus until firefighters could remove him. The police report says Kidd did not see Wirick and there was no evidence Kidd was driving under the influence.

Court documents do not reveal any further information about the accident beyond the woman’s charges.

UTA terminated Kidd on March 15, 2012. At that time, UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter would not discuss Kidd’s case but said that, in general, a driver isn’t automatically terminated for involvement in a fatal accident. A UTA committee reviews every accident and determines what action to take against the driver, Carpenter said.

jmiller@sltrib.com

Twitter: @jm_miller

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