Dublin: Sheriff's deputy dies from injuries after being struck by jail bus

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Alameda County sheriff’s deputy Michael Foley died Thursday from injuries sustained a day earlier when he was struck by an inmate-transport bus at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, the sheriff’s office announced Thursday afternoon.

Foley, 60, had worked for the sheriff’s office since 2007, coming to Alameda County after working 29 years as an officer at the Concord Police Department.

“Michael was one of the hardest working deputies on this agency,” the sheriff’s office said through a post on its Facebook page Thursday. “He was an extremely kind man who loved his family, friends, co workers and community. He believed in public service and making the world a better place. All of us who were touched by his life will never forget him.”

Gov. Jerry Brown also released a statement addressing Foley’s death, saying, “Deputy Foley spent nearly four decades protecting communities in the Bay Area and his death is a terrible loss to all who knew and love him. On behalf of all Californians, Anne and I extend our deepest condolences to his friends, family and law enforcement brothers and sisters.”

Wednesday’s incident happened at about 6 a.m. at the transportation yard behind the jail near Broder Boulevard as Foley was walking across the parking lot, Sgt. Ray Kelly said.

It was dark when the incident occurred and apparently the deputy who was driving the bus didn’t see Foley, and Foley didn’t see the bus, Kelly said.

The bus was traveling at about 15 mph at the time, and the only people on the bus were the deputy driving and another deputy.

After the crash, Foley was taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where a large group of colleagues gathered to support the deputy and his family, according to Kelly.

The California Highway Patrol’s major accident investigation team will reconstruct the incident to find out exactly what happened, Kelly said Wednesday.

Foley is survived by his wife and two children.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help his family, with $18,850 raised to date. The page can be found here.

Editor’s note: Information from Bay City News Service was used in this report.