2 detained, drunk driving investigated in school bus crash that kills 1, injures dozens

Authorities said they are investigating whether drunk driving might have been involved in the accident that killed one person and injured dozens of students aboard a school bus in Boyle Heights on Monday.

Witnesses told The Times that a black BMW ran a red light and hit the bus and that the car's driver and a passenger jumped out of the BMW and ran away. But they were captured by two construction workers who saw the crash, said witness Ray Thibodeaux, who was visiting a tire shop in the area.

The California Highway Patrol said two people had been detained.

Marco Valdez, 17, a passenger on the bus, told The Times the bus had been coming from the East Los Angeles Skills Center, an off-campus school for students from Roosevelt High. He said he saw a car hit a pedestrian and swerve and hit the back of the bus.

The bus then overturned onto the Metrolink platform at the corner of Soto and East 1st streets.

“Some kids at the front of the bus were bleeding and scraped up, but everybody seemed all right,” Marco said.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey told KCAL-TV that the majority of the children on the bus suffered only minor injuries and that most got off the bus before firefighters arrived at the scene. He said the bus was operated by a private company.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda said 54 high school students had been on the bus, and 16 were being treated for non-critical injuries. 

Officials believe the fatality was a pedestrian hit during the accident.

Witness Jose Cisneros said he was cutting hair at his 1st Street shop when he heard a loud boom. When he rushed outside, he saw the bus on its side in the plaza area at the Metro stop at 1st and Soto. Cisneros said the bus was filled with screaming children, some of whom appeared to be bloodied.

He said he saw an apparently lifeless man on the ground, one of his hands severed.

Dozens of people were at the scene: students being interviewed by investigators, local merchants and anxious parents.

-- Sam Allen and Kate Linthicum

Photo: Firefighters and paramedics attend to the wounded at the scene. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez /Los Angeles Times

Comments

[truth inreporting]

those construction workers did a great thing. all the best prayers for those that were injured.

[michael andrew]

The fact that it was a driver of a BMW speaks as to why the accident happened. Goes for the majority of luxury car drivers. No surprise there.

[correction]

Metrolink? You mean the Gold Line.

[Sarah Godinez]

When i heard this i was in shock. It is ssad to believe how how some person can be drinking and driving. It's a miracle that no one on the bus was severely hurt except the pedestrian. Some people are really dumb and i cant believe something like that could happen. They deserve to go to jail and stay there for a long time. Some people need to think before they do something. There are all these signs and warning saying dont drink and drive. Some people need read some of those signs.

[Billy Moses]

There was 44, not 54.

Tell Fire Capt. Steve Ruda to check his facts.

[Billy Moses]

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda said there was 54 students on the bus. Tell him to check his facts... There was 44 students.

[CaliPHOBE]

Certainly you must know something about the two who fled the scene besides "they were captured by two construction workers who saw the crash..." I hope the Times is going to follow up on this.

[Reddbeard]

Hang'm High !

[bill]

A couple more construction workers come to the rescue!! They seem to be there when kids need them.

[madsircool]

Who are the suspects???

[GillenH2O]

The driver is lucky to be alive, but deserves (and will get) major jail time. Killing a pedestrian AND a school bus full of kids, and then running away like a coward instead of trying to help those he injured...this guy is screwed! He'll prbably have a 20 year AA chip in his pocket by the time he gets out of prison. His passenger deserves some jail time as well.

[Spencer]

Stop Drunk Driving Now's President and Founder, Ron Bellanti, gives high school students the cold hard facts on drunk driving. Ron is dedicated to helping teenagers realize the consequences of drunk driving and have them make the right decisions as well. Learn more about drunk driving prevention, statistics and how to get your school involved at www.stopddnow.com

Recently, Ron spoke at Londonderry High School in Londonderry, New Hampshire educating students on the perils of drunk driving. Read more on what the Derry News thought of the drunk driving prevention event at www.derrynews.com/londonderry/x2073120501/LHS-students-hear-cold-hard-facts

Derry Nh

Londonderry Nh News