Widow sues Poway Unified over fatal school bus collision in San Diego
Cindy Steiner has filed a lawsuit against Poway Unified School District, alleging the district bus that struck her husband, Rene Steiner, was negligent and caused his death.
Rene Steiner, a 69-year-old retired nurse, was walking his dogs in the Rancho Peñasquitos neighborhood of San Diego on March 10 when a Poway Unified School District bus turned left into his path and struck him. The 76-year-old driver, Richard Kraft, is accused of speeding and failing to make a complete stop at the intersection. Steiner suffered a skull fracture, subdural hematoma, multiple rib fractures and bilateral pulmonary contusion, and died from those injuries on March 28.
His widow, Cindy Steiner, filed a lawsuit seeking accountability and changes to district policies that allow drivers to take shortcuts on narrow streets. The complaint cites a neighbor’s ring camera video and notes 118 documented bus-related incidents in Rancho Peñasquitos and Sabre Springs since 2019, many occurring outside regular school hours. The driver has been charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and fined for not yielding to a pedestrian, with his next hearing scheduled for October 27, 2026. Attorneys for the family argue the death was preventable and demand reforms to the district’s transportation practices.
Why it matters
The case highlights safety concerns over school bus routes in residential neighborhoods and may prompt policy changes.
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