'A shock': SFMTA, riders react to Muni train operator appearing to fall asleep at the wheel

""Any unsafe incident is one too many," said Julie Kirschbaum, SFMTA's Director of Transportation."

""Our investigation ruled out mechanical failure and determined the cause of the incident to be operator fatigue," said Kirschbaum. "This is unacceptable. We are working hard to ensure accountability for this specific incident.""

""It was scary. People around me were screaming, people were jolting to the side, trying to catch their balance," said Estefani Aguilar, a Muni rider who takes the N-Judah light rail train daily to work. "I didn't think she was at fault at that the time. Definitely a shock when I saw the video," said Aguilar. "If there was no reason to be asleep really at that moment, then it's really disheartening to hear.""

A September 24 morning commute captured video showing a San Francisco Muni operator with her head down at a stop, then nodding off as the train accelerated to 50 miles per hour. The train jolted through a curve and narrowly avoided a car emerging from the Sunset tunnel near Duboce Park, causing passengers to be thrown off balance and an elderly rider in a chair to fall. Riders described screaming and panic. The operator initially blamed the brakes, but SFMTA's investigation ruled out mechanical failure and determined operator fatigue as the cause. The operator has been placed on nondriving status and the agency is pursuing accountability.

Read at ABC7 San Francisco