Bus Driver Cited After UNCC Student’s Fatal Fall Out Window

CHARLOTTE, NC — Less that a week after a 20-year-old University of North Carolina Charlotte student was killed in an accident while on board a party bus, the driver of that bus has been cited for having no insurance and displaying a fake license plate, Charlotte police said Monday.

UNCC student Polly Miranda Rogers was killed the evening of May 1 when she fell out of the emergency window of a Charlotte Party Charter Bus in the 4500 block of North Tryon Street as it was headed to a bar in uptown Charlotte. According to a police report, she fell out of the window on the right side of the bus, landing in the center lane of North Tryon Street, and was then hit by two vehicles.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police said bus driver Victor Rabb was cited for two violations following the accident.

“Victor Rabb, the owner of the bus, was issued citations after it was determined that the vehicle was uninsured and was displaying a fictitious license plate on the bus during the time the traffic fatality occurred on May 01, 2018,” CMPD said.

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Rabb has also surrendered the bus to investigators from the NC State Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Division, who are inspecting the bus for equipment violations, according to CMPD.

Last week, a UNCC fraternity announced it was suspending operations at the school following Rogers’ death. UNCC's Kappa Sigma fraternity had rented the party bus, which was carrying people who were drinking alcohol, The Charlotte Observer reported. Police are investigating alcohol as a potential factor in Rogers death, the newspaper said.

Kappa Sigma Fraternity issued a statement announcing the suspension of UNCC operations of its Kappa-Omega Chapter, and said it would cooperate with school and police investigations, as well as launch its own investigation.

The Kappa-Omega chapter of the fraternity has operated its charter on the UNCC campus since 1970, making it the oldest inter-fraternity council chapter on the campus, the organization said on its website.

A GoFundMe campaign for Rogers' family was set up May 2, and nearly doubled it's $7,000 goal in about six hours before it stopped taking donations.

"Polly was an emerging leader in our chapter [of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority] and one of the friendliest people you would ever meet," the GoFundMe campaign page said. "She could always be found in the common areas of the house greeting sisters after their day at classes and making sure their day was going well. She will be missed fiercely."

CMPD's major crash investigation unit is investigating the accident and asks that anyone who may have witnessed events contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

Photo via GoFundMe