Bus Crash in California

[HighTechRedneck]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/05/BA9H13C1C6.DTL

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432945,00.html

WILLIAMS, Calif. —  A Greyhound tour bus carrying more than 50 passengers has crashed north of Sacramento, Calif., killing five passengers and injuring at least 30, according to local media outlets.

The bus was traveling northbound on Lone Star Road, east of the town of Williams, around 6:15 p.m. PT, where it veered off of the road and crashed into a ditch. No other vehicles were involved.

According to the California Highway Patrol, at least 30 passengers are injured and five are dead. Three California Highway Patrol helicopters and five medical helicopters were seen at the crash site to transport athe injured to nearby hospitals.

As many as four very critical patients are being transported to a hospital in Enloe. Injured passengers are being sent to as many as six different hospitals in five counties. Up to 10 critically injured passengers may still be trapped on board the bus, police say.

The California Highway Patrol reports that the bus driver was taking medication. It is not known at this time if that played a role in the crash. The driver was injured in the crash and is disoriented.

[gumpy]

Radio is saying 10 dead.

[Dallas]

According to Yahoo News The Texas license plate was invalid as well as the registration numbers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081006/ap_on_re_us/california_bus_crash

[johns4104s]

Are we sure it was Greyhound?  I see the colors but Greyhound has changed those colors to straight white down here in the south. Some buses get sold with the old Greyhound paint, but not the name remaining.

John

[Len Silva]

Apparently the bus was sold by Greyhound a couple of years ago.  I don't understand why Greyhound would let a bus on the market still painted in their livery.  The first headlines from some sources called it Greyhound because it looked like a Greyhound.

Speaking of which, I have heard stories that back in "the old days", Greyhound carried tarps and would quickly cover up a bus that was involved in an accident.  Don't know if that is really true.

[tekebird]

most companies do not go to the trouble to repaint a bus when sold, some will paint over lettering or remove vinyl lettering.  buses that are repainted are usually done at the used bus dealer, in an attempt to hide problems and or make it more attractive to prospective buyers.

[lostagain]

Back in the seventies,  Greyhound and Brewster ( a Greyh. subsidiary at that time), would spray paint over the name on a bus involved in a accident as soon as possible to reduce the media exposure.

JC

[Charles Seaton]

I, also find it hard to believe that Greyhound would sell a bus without painting out their name and logo.  But I guess this one slipped through.

[WEC4104]

Now news services reporting driver has been arrested on felony DUI charges.

[Cary and Don]

The latest report on this has changed.

Passengers have reported that the owner of the bus was trying to get control of the moving bus after the driver slumped over the wheel.  The DUI arrest came about because of the weaving the bus was doing before the crash and the driver was confused as to what had happened after the crash.  The driver had been a truck driver previously and had a commercial trucker license.  The owner died in the crash, so it probably will never be known exactly what happened.

It just seems unlikely that the owner would have let a driver drive drunk, it was his first trip, when the owner was on the bus.

Don and Cary
GMC4107
AN340

[Busted Knuckle]

The latest report on this has changed.

Passengers have reported that the owner of the bus was trying to get control of the moving bus after the driver slumped over the wheel.  The DUI arrest came about because of the weaving the bus was doing before the crash and the driver was confused as to what had happened after the crash.  The driver had been a truck driver previously and had a commercial trucker license.  The owner died in the crash, so it probably will never be known exactly what happened.

It just seems unlikely that the owner would have let a driver drive drunk, it was his first trip, when the owner was on the bus.

Don and Cary
GMC4107
AN340

While I agree it seems unlikely, it also seems that the owner is not so on them up & up with the expired illegal TX tags and no company ID on the bus! So now if the "owner" did indeed die on the bus! We will never know the truth! And as for the DUI it could have been DRUGS as well as ALCOHOL!
FWIW    BK