Thursday, February 20, 2014

Bus driver killed in crash mourned at UWS funeral

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William Pena, a 49-year-old MTA driver, leaves behind a longtime partner, Nancy Rodriguez, and their 17-year-old daughter, Gabrielle.



Hundreds of cops and transit workers lined the streets Thursday outside an Upper West Side church for final goodbyes to William Pena, the veteran bus driver killed by an out-of-control truck last week.


The mournful sound of wailing bagpipes greeted his family as they exited the Church of St. Paul the Apostle behind a casket carrying Pena.


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The 49-year-old MTA employee was pinned beneath his 21-ton bus Feb. 12 after an out-of-control truck – stolen by a drunk – careened into it.


Pena, a 17-year Metropolitan Transportation Authority driver, died at the scene of the 5:30 a.m. crash in Greenwich Village.


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He left behind his longtime partner, Nancy Rodriguez, and their 17-year-old daughter Gabrielle.


The truck that ended his life was driven by Domonic Whilby, 22, of Georgia, cops said.


RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: FAMILY, CO-WORKERS MOURN MTA BUS DRIVER KILLED IN TRUCK COLLISION


Whilby, nephew to the model Tyson Beckford, was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, assault, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and aggravated driving while intoxicated.


Whilby was arrested after cops found him unconscious inside the truck.


RELATED: BUS DRIVER KILLED IN WRECK WITH STOLEN TRUCK


Sources told The News that a drunken Whilby was partying with Beckford before getting tossed from Chelsea club 1Oak for loutish behavior about 90 minutes before the fatal crash.


Whilby then fell asleep in a nearby hotel before hijacking the parked 18 Rabbits Granola truck and speeding away, sources said.


The collision at Seventh Ave. and W. 14th St. caused the bus and truck to slam into a parked cab, a sidewalk scaffold, an adjoining building and a subway station entrance.


gotis@nydailynews.com





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