Bus Accident Near Fallbrook Injures 18 Passengers and Kills 3

An Executive Lines charter bus out of Los Angeles never made it to its stop in San Ysidro this morning. The scene on Interstate 15 around 10:20 a.m. looked like something from a movie. The total injury counts from the accident totaled 18 injured and 3 dead as a result of the bus crashing.

The road was wet this morning when the bus driver swerved and ended up losing control of the charter bus. Witnesses say it appeared as if the bus hydroplaned before finding its resting place down an embankment, on its rooftop.

Some of the passengers were lucky enough to be able to escape on their own. Others weren’t so lucky.

There were passengers that ended up being ejected from the bus or were trapped inside. Those who were trapped had to be extricated by emergency personnel.

One of the deceased passengers ended up pinned underneath the bus. She was stuck under the bus for hours before they were able to recover her body.

The other two women who were pronounced dead at the scene had been pulled from inside the bus.

The other 18 passengers who ended up injured in the accident were taken to various hospitals for treatment of their injuries. These hospitals included Palomar Medical Center, Inland Valley Medical Center, and Temecula Valley Hospital.

Of these passengers, a 5-year-old boy is said to have sustained serious head injuries. There were 3 other passengers who also suffered what were considered to be major injuries.

The driver of the bus remained at the scene despite his minor injuries. He was later taken to the police station to be questioned formally.

The driver of the bus also submitted to a blood test voluntarily. Authorities do not believe that drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident. They are investigating to see how big of an impact the weather played in the accident.

The bus company did not return calls for comment on the accident. The bus was equipped with seat belts but it is estimated that only 21 passengers, at most, utilized them.

The bus was finally removed from the scene around 6 p.m. and was taken to the California Highway Patrol evidence yard where a thorough investigation of the bus will take place.

The passengers on board the bus were a mix of children and adults. The final stop was in Tijuana for the bus. There were many passengers who had brought luggage for that trip. The contents were spread all over the highway.

Updates will be reported as they are released by the California Highway Patrol.