Bus headed for California casino in fatal crash

On Sunday night a bus carrying gamblers to a casino in northern California crashed, killing at least 10 of the passengers and injuring over 30 others. The bus ran off the road in a rural area near Williams, in Colusa County, said a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol.

Initial reports could not confirm the exact number of passengers on board the bus, which was on route from Sacramento, California to the Colusa Casino Resort, when the accident occurred at 6:12 pm local time. California Highway Patrol (CHP) spokesperson, Fran Clader, who was at the scene, noted that estimates ranged from 40 to 70. She also reported that the vehicle rolled completely over in muddy ditch, landing upright.

At the scene, seven passengers were confirmed dead, and at local hospitals later, three others were pronounced dead. Thirty-eight passengers were taken to eight medical centers.

Emergency crews from Colusa and Yolo counties and the town of Williams, and the California Highway Patrol, responded to the call, according to Clader. The rescue and medical teams found it difficult to communicate with most of the passengers, who spoke Lao.

The accident occurred on a stretch of road that is lightly traveled, passing through farm country. It did not appear that another vehicle was involved, according to the CHP spokesperson. The National Transportation Safety Board is likely to investigate to determine the cause of the accident.

www.chp.ca.gov