A 28-year-old pedestrian whom police said stepped in front of a bus and was fatally struck near downtown Riverside was identified Thursday as a resident of the city.
Chibeza Nyirenda Jr. was hit shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and 12th Street, according to the Riverside Police Department.
Sgt. Tim Jensen said that an RTA bus on its regular route stopped to take on or let out passengers along the southbound side of Chicago, and just as it accelerated to pull away, Nyirenda “positioned himself in front of the bus,” at which point he was hit.
Jensen said the driver immediately stopped and called 911.
Riverside Fire Department paramedics arrived within minutes and found the victim unconscious and gravely injured.
He was taken to Riverside Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than 45 minutes later.
The police department’s Major Accident Investigation Team was working Thursday to ascertain the circumstances behind the fatality.
Anyone with information was asked to contact MAIT detectives at 951-826-8722.