A Cherriots bus driver was making a right turn when he struck and killed a man in a crosswalk Wednesday afternoon in downtown Salem, according to the Salem Police Department. The agency has identified the pedestrian as Joseph E. Chandler, 68, Salem. Police and other emergency personnel responded to the crash around 1 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Northeast Union and High Streets, according to a news release Wednesday evening. Salem police’s traffic team determined that the bus driver, John P. Valdez, 63, of Albany, was driving west on Union Street and started turning right onto northbound High Street when he struck Chandler in the crosswalk at the northeast corner of the intersection.  The driver then stopped the bus “a short distance away from the intersection,” according to the police statement. He and occupants of the bus tried to render aid to Chandler, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.  Salem police said the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with their investigation. Police were still investigating the crash as of Wednesday evening. “As such, no citations have been issued or arrest made,” the agency said. The driver was placed on paid administrative leave, according to a statement from Cherriots. The area was closed to traffic for around two hours while police investigated. This is the Salem area’s second fatal crash of 2025, according to coverage by Salem Reporter. Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Police identify Salem man struck, killed by Cherriots bus downtown appeared first on Salem Reporter.