November 04, 2026
MICHELE C. HADDON/USA TODAY NETWORK via Reuters Connect
Katherine 'Kitty' Semisch, 67, was struck and killed by a Doylestown Area Regional Transit bus outside a library on Monday afternoon. Semisch was a longtime teacher at Central Bucks High School West and a community advocate who's featured in the recently released PBS docuseries 'Bucks County, USA.' Above, Semisch appears at Central Bucks School District meeting in July 2021.
A former English teacher who taught at Central Bucks West High School for more than two decades was struck and killed by a bus outside the Bucks County Free Library in Doylestown on Monday afternoon, authorities said.
Katherine Semisch, 67, was crossing the circle in front of the library around 3 p.m. when she was hit by a Doylestown Area Regional Transit bus, the county coroner's office said. The Central Bucks Regional Police Department said the bus was rounding the circle when it struck Semisch, who died a short time later at Doylestown Hospital.
The Bucks County District Attorney's Office is leading an investigation into the crash. The coroner's office listed the manner of death as an accident.
"Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones during this difficult time," police said in a statement.
Semisch, who went by the nickname "Kitty," was a distinguished teacher at CB West and a librarian known for her youth advocacy in Doylestown. She retired in 2021 but remained an active participant in school board meetings and served on the board of the Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County.
Semisch's community work is featured in the PBS docuseries "Bucks County, USA," which examines political tensions that played out in the Central Bucks School District during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The producers of the docuseries, which premiered in September, posted a message on Instagram on Tuesday reacting to Semisch's death.
"Our entire producing team is devastated by the tragic passing of Kitty Semisch," the post said. "Kitty opened her life to us with generosity and grace, and she inspired everyone she met, on camera and off. Her warmth and conviction are woven into Bucks County, USA, and we will carry them with us."
The Rainbow Room, a Doylestown nonprofit that serves LGBTQ+ youth, called Semisch a "passionate supporter" who advocated for inclusive schools and fought against book bans.
"We are grateful for all the ways Kitty supported our community and the young people who make it so special," the organization said in a social media post. "Her kindness, advocacy, and impact will not be forgotten."
Monday's fatal crash is the second this year involving a DART bus operated by the private, nonprofit Bucks County Transport, Inc.
The District Attorney's Office is separately investigating an Aug. 12 crash that killed Doylestown resident Ronald Davenport, 83, in the area of the Grundy Hall apartment complex at Easton and Almshouse roads. An attorney for Davenport's family told the Bucks County Courier Times that one of DART's buses struck Davenport around 9 p.m. as he was crossing a parking lot.
Davenport's attorney said the Doylestown Police Department failed to publicly release information about the crash. The family released a public statement in October seeking help from anyone with information about the crash and its aftermath.
Manuel Gamiz Jr., a spokesperson for the DA's office, confirmed the crash investigation team is looking into the circumstances surrounding the fatal crashes.
"Both of those are open and active investigations," Gamiz said.
DART's services include several fixed routes, a courthouse shuttle and a shared ride program for seniors. The organization did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday on the DA's investigations.
