A tragic crash in Milwaukee has led to a prison sentence for a city bus driver after a pedestrian was killed on Christmas Day. Authorities say the driver fell asleep behind the wheel, causing a crash that killed a 79-year-old man and seriously injured his grandson.
The case drew attention after investigators reviewed video footage that reportedly showed the driver repeatedly closing his eyes while operating the bus.
Bus driver sentenced for deadly crash
Montrell Pharm, 53, was sentenced by a Milwaukee County judge to two years in prison after pleading no contest to charges connected to the fatal crash. The charges included homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and reckless driving causing great bodily harm.
The two prison terms will run at the same time, meaning Pharm will serve a total of two years in prison. After completing the sentence, he will also face three years of extended supervision.
The incident resulted in the death of 79-year-old Robert Clemons in 2024.
What happened on Christmas Day
The fatal crash happened just after 11 p.m. on Christmas Day at the intersection of North 47th Street and Villard Avenue in Milwaukee.
Police responded to reports of a serious crash involving a bus and another vehicle. When officers arrived at the scene, they found two damaged vehicles — a bus and a truck — in the roadway.
Investigators also discovered a disturbing scene. According to the criminal complaint, a trail of blood led from the road to the location where the bus eventually stopped.
The bus had visible damage on its front end, and the passenger-side windshield was broken.
Victim was working with his grandson
Police spoke with the owner of the truck involved in the crash. He told officers that the victim, Robert Clemons, was his grandfather.
The two had been working together to repair the truck, which was parked on the street.
At the time of the crash, they were walking beside the truck when the Milwaukee County Transit System bus struck them and the parked vehicles.
According to investigators, the bus first hit one parked vehicle and pushed it into another before striking Clemons.
The 79-year-old man was run over during the crash.
Grandson tried to stop the bus
The victim’s grandson survived but suffered injuries. After the crash, he reportedly ran toward the bus and tried to alert the driver that his grandfather was trapped underneath the vehicle.
However, because he was injured himself, he quickly became exhausted and could not continue chasing the bus.
Other pedestrians eventually managed to signal the bus driver to stop. The bus finally came to a halt about a block away from the crash site.
Police later confirmed that Clemons died at the scene after being removed from beneath the bus.
Bus camera footage revealed alarming details
Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage from cameras installed on the bus.
According to police, one camera showed the bus driving mostly inside a bike lane before crashing into the parked vehicles and striking the pedestrian.
The bus then reportedly moved out of the bike lane and into the main lane before briefly stopping and moving again.
Another camera inside the bus, which faced the driver, revealed even more troubling details.
Police said the footage showed Pharm repeatedly closing his eyes or appearing to fall asleep while the bus was both stopped and moving.
At times, he was seen holding the steering wheel while his eyes were closed and making small steering adjustments.
The video also showed the driver being jolted forward when the bus hit something before regaining control and eventually stopping.
Driver described long work hours
During questioning, Pharm told investigators that he had been working extremely long hours before the crash.
He reportedly described a schedule that included several 14-hour shifts over four days, along with one shift lasting about eight and a half hours.
He also said that he had slept only about six hours the night before the incident.
Despite the fatigue, Pharm told police that he remembered looking ahead and believing the road in front of him was clear.
He later expressed shame about what happened and suggested that the crash seemed to occur suddenly.
Pharm also mentioned health issues, telling investigators that he is pre-diabetic and does not have health insurance, which he said meant he was not properly medicated.
He suggested that his body might have simply shut down that night.
Driver lost job after the crash
Shortly after the fatal incident, Pharm lost his job with the Milwaukee County Transit System.
Public transit drivers are responsible for safely transporting passengers and operating large vehicles in busy city environments. Because of the potential risks, fatigue and driver alertness are major safety concerns in public transportation.
Driver apologised to victim’s family
During the sentencing hearing, Pharm addressed the victim’s family in court.
He said he deeply regretted the tragedy and described the crash as an unintentional accident.
“There aren’t enough words to say to begin to heal your pain,” he said, asking the family for forgiveness.
Prosecutors, however, pointed to the video footage showing him repeatedly closing his eyes while driving.
They also noted that after the crash, the driver did not immediately get out of the vehicle to check what had happened.
According to the prosecution, the footage raised serious concerns about driver awareness and responsibility.
