MacKenzie Elmer, Jeff Charis-Carlson, and Charly Haley

DesMoines

A CyRide bus driver has been charged in the fatal hit-and-run death of an Iowa State University student after bus video of the accident was turned over to police.

Benjamin Dale Clague, 23, of Gilbert is being held in the Story County Jail on a $10,300 cash or surety bond on charges of hit and run resulting in death and failure to obey a traffic signal. CyRide has also placed him on administrative leave.

Clague allegedly struck and killed 18-year-old Emmalee Jacobs of Urbana, who was found Dec. 14 by a university police officer lying in the crosswalk of Ash Avenue with Lincoln Way.

Commander Jason Tuttle of Ames Police said Wednesday that a CyRide supervisor contacted police after reviewing a video from their bus fleet.

Clague, driving an empty bus, turned left onto Ash Avenue at about 7 a.m., but did not appear to heed a flashing, yellow arrow which commands cars yield to pedestrians, Tuttle said. Jacobs cannot be seen on the video, but as Clague turns, police could hear an impact.

The video shows Clague get out of the bus and do a walk-around at his next stop, which was two blocks away, Tuttle said.

"It was raining, and that’s not normal behavior,” Tuttle said. “We believe he probably thought he hit something but didn’t know what it was right away.”

Tuttle said Clague would have seen emergency vehicles and caution tape at that intersection on his next pass through what’s known as the Gold Route on CyRide.

“I think weather conditions played a factor in this," Tuttle said. "It was raining. There was a lot of glare and it was still dark. That doesn’t excuse him not coming forward an hour or more afterward.”

Clague continued to drive for CyRide, 38 hours a week. It wasn’t until Jan. 6, when a supervisor found the video, that police started to connect his name to the incident, Tuttle said.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation assisted Ames police with a forensic analysis of the bus, Tuttle said.

Sheri Kyras, director of transit at CyRide, said Clague was hired in October 2013 and passed all criminal and driving background checks and completed at least 120 hours of training. There was no indication that Clauge was intoxicated, since each driver is visually inspected by dispatchers every morning, Kyras said.

“There wasn’t anything that indicated to us that there was an issue,” Kyras said.

Family of dead ISU student reeling

“We have a very strong safety culture here,” Kyras said. “It’s everything we think about as we provide service on a daily basis.”

Brad Jacobs, Emmalee's dad, said news of Clague's arrest was "very emotional" for his family. "We're glad that we know what has happened now," he said. "It takes away that not knowing."

But grappling with his daughter's death is still difficult, and he said he hopes the steps following Clague's arrest, including any court process, happen quickly.

"I think we would feel better about the person if he had came forward on his own," Brad Jacobs added.

But he's grateful for the work of the Ames Police Department and CyRide in helping bring answers in his daughter's death, he said. "We want people to know that we're very thankful for all of the support that we've received."

ISU President Steven Leath released a statement Wednesday afternoon saying that the university and city would continue to together "to evaluate potential safety improvements and promote both vehicle and pedestrian safety around campus and the community.”

“We appreciate the diligent investigative work of the Ames Police Department in determining the circumstances of this tragic incident," Leath said. "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Emmalee Jacobs during this very difficult time."

The Iowa Board of Regents, which oversees Iowa's public universities, last year created a Campus Safety and Security Subcommittee to address safety and security issues as they arise on the three campuses. The subcommittee is holding its second meeting Thursday in Cedar Falls. Transportation or pedestrian safety issues are not listed on the agenda.

“It’s unclear whether this particular incident will be discussed during the meeting,” said regents spokesman Josh Lehman. “Going forward, the committee is always looking at ways to make a campus safer. Transportation issues could be part of the discussion in the future.”

The last time CyRide was involved in a fatality was 1995, which turned out to be a suicide, Kyras said. The Ames-based busing network serves the city and ISU. It carries an average of 40,000 riders daily and covers 1.2 million miles each year, according to its website.

Tuttle said the investigation into this case continues. Anyone with information should contact Ames Police at 515-239-5133.