6 dead, many hurt in Calif Greyhound bus crash

FRESNO, Calif. – A Greyhound bus carrying 47 people and traveling to Sacramento from Los Angeles crashed on a highway in California's Central Valley on Thursday, killing six and injuring many others.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100722/ap_on_re_us/us_calif_bus_crash

Prayers for all of the victims and their families, in Jesus' Name, amen!

This happened about a mile from our house. I feel terrible.
I will watch the local news and let you know if there is more info.

Six dead, dozens injured in Fresno bus accident

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=7543654

A Greyhound bus and several cars were involved in an overnight accident on Highway 99 near McKinley in central Fresno. Six people were killed and several others injured. The northbound lanes of Highway 99 were closed for several hours Thursday morning, all lanes are now open.


The bus was traveling north on Highway 99 in Fresno came across a Chevy Trailblazer that was already overturned on the highway. The bus crashed into the Trailblazer, then swerved onto the embankment, hit a Honda CRV before crashing into a large eucalyptus tree.

As a result of the crash 6 people died including the bus driver. Another man and four women are among the dead. Nine others suffered injuries and 24 others suffered minor injuries. The critically injured were taken to Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno.

The victims have been identified as bus driver James Jewett of Sacramento, Ephifania Solis of Madara, Tomas Ponce, Stephanie Cordoba of Fresno, Vanessa Gonzalez of Fresno, and Sylvia Garay of Fresno.

According to Greyhound, there were a total of 47 passengers on bus.

Survivors described a chaotic scene.

more and video at http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=7570163

So terribly sad ~ but it also appears not to be the fault of the bus driver, as I can only imagine suddenly coming upon an overturned, dark colored SUV blocking the highway in total darkness and nowhere for the bus to go to avoid hitting it and losing control. Thankfully there were survivors who were able to board other busses later on today, and my prayers for Mr. Jewett's family and the families of those killed or injured on the bus. :rose:

zoomom said:

This happened about a mile from our house. I feel terrible.
I will watch the local news and let you know if there is more info.

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How scary that must have been! I hope the investigators can find out what caused the SUV to lose control and flip over which seems to have caused the bus accident.

By Diana Marcum July 23, 2010
After an SUV overturns on California 99, killing three women, the bus hits it in the darkness and clips another SUV. The bus driver and two riders die as the bus goes down an embankment, hits a tree.


A crash involving a Greyhound bus en route from Los Angeles to Sacramento killed six people and injured 20 others, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The deadly sequence of events began shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday as three young women in a dark-blue Chevrolet Trailblazer were traveling north on California Highway 99 in Fresno.The Trailblazer made a sharp left turn from the right-hand lane, struck the median rail, rolled over and blocked the fast lane, said CHP Central Division Chief Jim Abrames.
All three women — Stephenie Cordoba, 20, and Vanessa Gonzalez, 19, both of Fresno, and Sylvia Lopez Garay, 18, of Dinuba, Calif. — were killed.
About the same time, a Greyhound bus had left the Fresno bus station and headed up California 99. Authorities suspect that the driver could not see the dark, overturned Trailblazer, which probably didn't have its lights on.
The bus, carrying 36 people, hit the Trailblazer, careened to the east and clipped a Honda CR-V, authorities said.
All three vehicles went off the highway and down a 15-foot embankment, according to the California Highway Patrol. The bus crashed into a eucalyptus tree, knocking the tree over and leaving limbs sticking from gaping holes in the bus.
"I had just woke up and I heard a boom once, and a boom again and the next thing I know we were down this embankment," Linda Gee, a passenger on the bus, told KMPH-TV in Fresno.
The crash pushed the front end of the bus into the driver's seat, killing James Jewett, 57, of Sacramento, a Greyhound driver for 32 years with a clean record. Two of the bus passengers, Epifania Solis, 60, of Madera, Calif., and Tomas Ponce, 79, of Winton, Calif., also died. The driver of the CR-V was injured.
The collision broke the bus into pieces and left twisted metal and bloody clothes strewn around the ground. By Thursday afternoon, authorities were dismantling and cleaning up the pieces of the bus and vehicles. more at link: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fresno-crash-20100723,0,4612775.story

Prayers for the families of those lost in this accident. Poor driver probably did all he could to save his passengers, it was just too much and he lost his life as well.

Rest in peace: Stephenie Cordoba, Vanessa Gonzalez, Sylvia Lopez Garay, James Jewett, Epifania Solis, & Tomas Ponce.

This is just so sad ~


A 79-year-old great-grandfather traveling from Mexico to visit family in Merced was among those killed Thursday in the Highway 99 crash involving a passenger bus and two vehicles.
The grandfather, Tomas Ponce, died from heart complications, said his granddaughter Yuridia Hampton.

Ponce's wife, Sinforosa Arreola, 77, was critically injured in the accident, with fractures in both arms, both legs and broken ribs, family members said. Arreola had surgery late Thursday to remove blood that had collected in her lungs.

Also on the bus was Hampton's great-uncle, Adolfo Ponce, who broke a leg and wrist, she said.

He underwent surgery for his injuries Thursday night.

Community Regional Medical Center trauma surgeon Dr. John Bilello said Tomas Ponce died "despite our best efforts" to save him.

Hampton said Tomas Ponce grew up in Mexico, where he grew corn on land he owned.
He was the father of five girls and three boys. Four of them live in Mexico and four in the United States. He had 27 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

During summers, Ponce and Arreola often traveled by bus to Merced and would stay with family in nearby Winton for about four months.

"They don't like to fly; they always thought the bus was safer," said one of the Ponce's grandchildren, Vannesa Bustillos, as she sat in the emergency room lobby at Community Regional Medical Center. "They were too scared to fly because of all the accidents."

Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/07/22/2015111/man-79-coming-to-visit-merced.html#ixzz0uYWSJrmm

May he rest in peace and my prayers for his wife :rose:

Posted: 4:43 pm PDT July 26, 2010Updated: 4:45 pm PDT July 26, 2010
FRESNO, Calif. -- The California Highway Patrol says an 18-year-old woman driving an SUV that collided with a Greyhound bus on a Fresno-area highway was under the influence of alcohol. The bus crashed early Thursday after the Chevy Trailblazer overturned in front of it on Highway 99. A total of six people died, and nearly two dozen bus passengers were injured. Authorities initially said that 19-year-old Vanessa Gonzalez of Fresno was behind the wheel of the SUV. The CHP said Monday Sylvia Lopez Garay of Dinuba was driving and had a blood alcohol level above the legal driving limit. Twenty-year-old Stephanie Cordoba of Fresno also was killed in the wreck. Friends and relatives said the three women had come from a dance party in Fresno's Tower District.
http://www.ktvu.com/news/24400976/detail.html

How awful! Many moons ago I rode a Greyhound through there. VERY sad!!!

LinasK said:

Posted: 4:43 pm PDT July 26, 2010Updated: 4:45 pm PDT July 26, 2010
FRESNO, Calif. -- The California Highway Patrol says an 18-year-old woman driving an SUV that collided with a Greyhound bus on a Fresno-area highway was under the influence of alcohol. The bus crashed early Thursday after the Chevy Trailblazer overturned in front of it on Highway 99. A total of six people died, and nearly two dozen bus passengers were injured. Authorities initially said that 19-year-old Vanessa Gonzalez of Fresno was behind the wheel of the SUV. The CHP said Monday Sylvia Lopez Garay of Dinuba was driving and had a blood alcohol level above the legal driving limit. Twenty-year-old Stephanie Cordoba of Fresno also was killed in the wreck. Friends and relatives said the three women had come from a dance party in Fresno's Tower District.
http://www.ktvu.com/news/24400976/detail.html

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wow - that's the first I heard about booze actually being involved. I was betting there wouldn't be any alcohol because they were all under age. The place they were having the "girl's nite out" is about 2 blocks from my house and they card EVERYBODY. There is a dance club called "The Starline", and right next to it is a nice italian-ish restaurant called "The Starline Bar and Grill. I heard they were at the restaurant where I'm sure they wouldn't have been served alcohol. The dance place doesn't even have a liquer license - strictly music and dancing. Wonder where they got the booze from???? JMO JMO JMO

I figured it was probably something like that, because apparently she suddenly veered from the far right side of the freeway across all four lanes to the left lane!

zoomom said:

wow - that's the first I heard about booze actually being involved. I was betting there wouldn't be any alcohol because they were all under age. The place they were having the "girl's nite out" is about 2 blocks from my house and they card EVERYBODY. There is a dance club called "The Starline", and right next to it is a nice italian-ish restaurant called "The Starline Bar and Grill. I heard they were at the restaurant where I'm sure they wouldn't have been served alcohol. The dance place doesn't even have a liquer license - strictly music and dancing. Wonder where they got the booze from???? JMO JMO JMO

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Unfortunately just because someone is underage doesn't mean this someone isn't going to be drunk. No doubt police is going to investigate as to where the alcohol was gotten from.

LinasK said:

I figured it was probably something like that, because apparently she suddenly veered from the far right side of the freeway across all four lanes to the left lane!

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I'm not surprised either. Also the timing ~ just after bars close in CA, I had a feeling there was alcohol involved even though they're all underage.

So sad for all aboard the Greyhound. :cry:

jjenny said:

Unfortunately just because someone is underage doesn't mean this someone isn't going to be drunk. No doubt police is going to investigate as to where the alcohol was gotten from.

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Oh I am sure this will be investigated as they can be held liable, at least in a civil lawsuit. MOO

I was wrong in my previous post.....the Starline DOES have a liquer license.

Here is a local blog discussing that night and the club policys:

http://fresnobeehive.com/2010/07/greyhound_accid.html


The comments below are interesting. On the local news it is now saying 2 of the girls were drinking.

zoomom said:

I was wrong in my previous post.....the Starline DOES have a liquer license.

Here is a local blog discussing that night and the club policys:

http://fresnobeehive.com/2010/07/greyhound_accid.html


The comments below are interesting. On the local news it is now saying 2 of the girls were drinking.

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Even though the club policy has different colored wristbands to designate between under/over 21, I'd like to know if they could've possibly hooked up with someone who is 21 while in there. Since the driver still had an over the legal limit BAC when the accident occurred, whether they were drinking in the parking lot prior to going inside the club seems to be a moot point. It also seems little time after leaving for stopping somewhere else with the accident around 2am. Too bad there isn't any surveillance video of inside the club or the parking lot, and the exact time they left. MOO

Six survivors sue in Greyhound bus crash

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Six survivors of last week's deadly Greyhound bus crash in Fresno filed suit Wednesday. The suit claims Greyhound is mostly to blame for the crash. But the drivers of the two other vehicles involved are also named in the suit.

Less than a week after six people died after a Greyhound bus ran into an overturned SUV on Highway 99, the first lawsuit in the case has already been filed.


Aside from blaming Greyhound, six of the surviving bus passengers allege several people are responsible for the crash, including both the bus and SUV drivers, as well as a Fresno woman named Elsabeth Giorgis ... whose Honda CRV was forced off the road during the crash. She was the only driver to survive. Giorgis' attorney, Monrae English, says the filing is pre-mature. "Filing a lawsuit without having the facts, it just probably would have been a little prudent to have waited and understood what the facts are in this case."

more at http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=7580845

panthera said:

Six survivors sue in Greyhound bus crash

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Six survivors of last week's deadly Greyhound bus crash in Fresno filed suit Wednesday. The suit claims Greyhound is mostly to blame for the crash. But the drivers of the two other vehicles involved are also named in the suit.

Less than a week after six people died after a Greyhound bus ran into an overturned SUV on Highway 99, the first lawsuit in the case has already been filed.


Aside from blaming Greyhound, six of the surviving bus passengers allege several people are responsible for the crash, including both the bus and SUV drivers, as well as a Fresno woman named Elsabeth Giorgis ... whose Honda CRV was forced off the road during the crash. She was the only driver to survive. Giorgis' attorney, Monrae English, says the filing is pre-mature. "Filing a lawsuit without having the facts, it just probably would have been a little prudent to have waited and understood what the facts are in this case."

more at http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=7580845

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I heard about this on the car radio today, one of the survivors one the bus claims he overheard the driver saying he was going to make up lost time, i.e. speed, but I think he's going after Greyhound because of their deep pockets. I place the blame solely and squarely on the teenage girls who were driving drunk and whomever served them the alcohol!

LinasK said:

I heard about this on the car radio today, one of the survivors one the bus claims he overheard the driver saying he was going to make up lost time, i.e. speed, but I think he's going after Greyhound because of their deep pockets. I place the blame solely and squarely on the teenage girls who were driving drunk and whomever served them the alcohol!

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I completely agree! Greyhound is the scapegoat because the one who did cause the accident has no "deep pockets". I don't think the lawsuit will succeed since, imo, the investigation will conclude the bus had no where to go to avoid hitting the overturned SUV. I can see where it's very possible, even under perfect weather conditions at night for the bus simply not have time to stop. And it was the driver and passengers toward the front of the bus who were killed or seriously injured. Many just walked away. I also think there wasn't anything the Honda driver could've done and she too was innocently caught up in the accident. The sole blame, imo, rests on the drunk driver of the SUV and if she was served alcohol in a bar. MOO