After rear-ending a pickup truck south of Phoenix, a bus -- which reports say was operating illegally from Mexico - crashed and injured 16 people.
The bus, which was travelling from Mexico through Texas and Arizona to Los Angeles, rolled over after hitting the pickup truck, leaving at least six passengers dead, with 16 others in the hospital, reports say. Apparently, most on the bus were at least slightly injured and several passengers were thrown from the vehicle. Others were found dead inside the vehicle as some climbed out, helping others escape.
The bus company, Tierra Santa Inc. -- which has offices in Van Nuys and the city of Durango, Mexico -- was operating without federal permission, according to reports. The firm ran two motor coaches and employed four drivers, according to federal records. Although an application for operation in the US had been submitted, it had been denied in December, said reports. The company apparently failed to show that it could meet federal requirements, including drug and alcohol testing of its drivers and proper vehicle maintenance.
Reportedly, the bus began its trip near Durango, in central Mexican. In Arizona, it was headed west on Interstate 10 at 5:30 a.m. when the bus hit the Ford F-150 truck, then swerved left into the median, rolling several times before it landed in a ditch.
Tourists and immigrants have enough to think about without adding to the risk of injury or death by lack of training or negligence on the bus on which they travel. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a bus accident, The Doan Law Firm, P.C., led by Houston personal injury attorney Jimmy Doan, has extensive experience in auto-related injury and wrongful death litigation. Contact The Doan Law Firm, P.C. today.