SALEM — A 47-year-old bicyclist was flown to a Boston hospital with serious injuries yesterday morning after he was struck by an MBTA bus.
The accident occurred at 7:23 a.m. at the intersection of Federal and Washington streets, near the old Salem District Court.
Philip Moran of 72 Palmer St., Salem, was riding down Federal Street toward Washington Street when he crossed into traffic and was struck by the bus, Salem police Capt. Brian Gilligan said.
Moran was taken to Salem Hospital and then transferred by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston with "serious trauma injuries," MBTA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera said.
Moran was in critical condition at Mass General yesterday afternoon.
He was not wearing a bicycle helmet at the time of the crash, police said.
Paul Highet, 51, of Stoneham was driving passengers on the Route 455 MBTA bus, traveling inbound, at the time of the crash. He was not injured, nor were any passengers.
The MBTA sent another bus to pick up passengers from the bus involved in the crash.
Neither the MBTA nor Salem police, who are investigating along with a Massachusetts State Police accident reconstruction team, would speculate yesterday on what caused the accident.
"Whether there was a violation of motor vehicle laws by either party is part of the investigation at this point," Gilligan said. "(The cause) is difficult to say, and that's part of the reason we're reconstructing it. There's an abundance of evidence to examine from a variety of sources. We have to look at all things and not jump to any conclusions ... based on what people may or may not have seen at the scene."
Gilligan said investigators found headphones at the crash scene but could not confirm whether Moran was wearing them, listening to music or simply carrying them at the time of the accident.
As of yesterday, no charges had been filed against anyone involved in the accident.
The MBTA would not comment on Highet's driving record or whether he had been taken off the job yesterday.
Moran was coming from the direction of the municipal parking lots behind the former District Court when he rode out of Federal Street and into the path of oncoming traffic.
Rivera confirmed the bicyclist "made contact with the front right side of the bus" but would not comment further on the accident's possible cause.
Traffic was disrupted for roughly two hours yesterday morning while police shut down Washington Street to process the crash scene. The bus, with damage to its front, was towed away just before 10 a.m.
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