Zoe Hague was trying to board the vehicle when her leg got caught on the door. She was pulled down the street, while trying to shout and get the driver’s attention
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Sheffield: CCTV captures moment teen was dragged by bus after becoming trapped
A teenage girl has been dragged along a street by a bus for 15 terrifying seconds after the door shut and trapped her leg.
The horror moment was caught on camera and shows the moment terrified Zoe Hague was trying to board the vehicle when her leg got caught on the door. The 17-year-old girl was pulled down the street, while trying to shout and get the driver’s attention.
Passengers onboard managed to shout at the driver to stop, but the teen was then left at the roadside and continued his route. Zoe says she suffered a swollen and badly cut knee, a back injury and had concussion for three days following the incident in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on September 23.
She said: “I was just stepping on the bus when the doors shut trapping my leg in the door. Suddenly the bus set off and pulled me down and started dragging me along the road. I was trying to stay upright but my other leg was dragging on the floor and I was banging on the door trying to get the drivers attention.
“I heard passengers shouting at him to stop otherwise I dread to think what would have happened. I just knew I had to try and find a way to get out. I started banging on the door – my hearing went in the panic, and as it was coming back. I could hear people telling him to stop.
“I don’t really remember the feeling, but looking at the CCTV, it all lasted for about 15 seconds.”
Zoe said the driver of the bus, which is operated by TM Travel, opened the door to free her leg and then asked if she still wanted to get on the bus. She refused this and instead called her mum Cheryl to pick her up, as she was “in pain and dazed” and was in “no fit state to go anywhere.”
The A Level student said: “I was completely dazed and my trousers were ripped exposing my bloody knee and my trainer laces had all broke so the shoe was off. I was in no fit state to go anywhere and was in pain and dazed.”
Mum Cheryl took Zoe to A&E, where doctors confirmed that Zoe had a concussion. Cheryl says she “feels sick” knowing the driver left her daughter without calling the police or an ambulance. She said: “If I had hit a cat or a hedgehog in my car I would have taken it to a vet for treatment – so to leave a teenage girl in that state at the side of a road is awful.
“She didn’t know where she was and was dazed for a few days. I am grateful that some passengers who were aware of what was going on and shouted to the bus driver or I dread to think what could have happened.
“Some have contacted me since and said they were pretty shaken just from watching the incident unfold. Fortunately that day she was wearing thick cord trousers which offered a bit of protection – often she wears short skirts and has bare legs.
“But I know from reading about these incidents involving buses that it can lead to life-changing injuries and fatalities. It made me sick to the core when I thought about it afterwards and to leave her like that without calling the police or an ambulance was the final insult.”
Cheryl drove Zoe to school for a few days until she was well enough to get the bus and reported the incident to the bus company and South Yorkshire Police. Cheryl said: “We reported it to the bus company as we wanted to make sure it didn’t happen to anyone else. But then a day afterwards I found out he is still on the route so I was a bit baffled by that.”
TM Travel and South Yorkshire Police have been contacted for a comment.
