KING

One person was killed after the Metro Transit bus and a pickup truck collided on SE 436th in Enumclaw. April 17, 2007.

ENUMCLAW, Wash. -- Records show the driver of a Metro Transit bus that was involved in a fatal accident Tuesday had been fired in 2005.

According to a union newsletter dated November 2005, driver Sandie Olosky, of Issaquah, was terminated for "gross misconduct." Another newsletter dated April 2006 reads that an arbitrator ruled in her favor and she was reinstated with full backpay.

Witnesses to Tuesday's accident said the bus she was driving was going too fast before it collided with a pick-up driven by Michael Dahlquist, who died at the scene.

Flowers now line the accident scene at State Route 164, where relatives and friends have set up a memorial for 21-year-old Dahlquist.

State troopers say the bus swerved to miss an SUV and hit the Toyota pick-up truck he was driving. The accident happened on S.E. 436th in Enumclaw.

The bus, number 915, was on an express route from Auburn to Enumclaw and carried three passengers, according to Linda Thielke with Metro Transit. Neither the driver nor the passengers were hurt.

A bus passenger says he remarked on the bus driver's speed just moments before the accident

"I yelled 'slow down,'" said passenger Rick Pease. "I don't know if she did or not it was all so quick."

Cliff Pratt, of Washington State Patrol, elaborated.

"The bus was going so fast the gentlemen attempting to turn knew he was going to get hit," Pratt said. "At that point, the bus attempted to go on the left side, went into oncoming traffic."

Dahlquist's passenger - 21-year-old Aaron M. Stingle of Enumclaw - suffered minor injuries.