In a tragic three-vehicle collision, a Greyhound bus collided with an SUV, resulting in 6 deaths, including the bus driver. The bus was traveling northbound on California Highway 99 from Los Angeles to Sacramento, with its next planned stop in Madera.
Around 2 a.m., the bus crashed into an overturned SUV in the right hand lane. The collision sent the bus into another vehicle and then all three went down a 15-foot embankment, where the bus hit a large eucalyptus tree. The impact was enormous, leaving debris scattered everywhere.
As a California personal injury attorney, I've seen far too many accidents end tragically. In Thursday's accident, five people died at the scene and another died shortly thereafter. 34 people sustained injuries ranging from minor to critical.
Bus crashes are relatively rare, with an average of 4 deaths per year.
While the investigation is still on going, eye-witness reports indicate that the bus driver did nothing wrong, but rather had no time to stop after seeing the SUV on its side in the highway.
In a statement, the family of the Sacramento Greyhound bus driver - James Jewitt - said they want people to know they believe Jewitt was a hero in the crash that took his life.
