Motorist rams SUV into school bus filled with children in apparent suicide attempt

A driver apparently bent on suicide rammed his sport utility vehicle into a school bus filled with children, officials said.

The head-on crash occurred at 10:40 a.m. on the westbound 60 Freeway at Pedley Road in Pedley, said Jackie Parent, a spokeswoman from the California Highway Patrol. The children and bus driver were being examined for injuries, but it appears now that none were seriously hurt. The SUV driver, described as an older man, was hurt and had to be cut out of his vehicle.

Investigators from the CHP and Riverside County Sheriff's Department were still investigating exactly what happened, but it appears the driver was trying to take his own life.

The driver could face criminal charges, Parent said.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo credit: KTLA

Comments

[kgoddess]

I would hope he faces charges. If he really wanted to commit suicide, why didn't he just drive into a wall or something? Thankfully no one on the bus was seriously hurt.

[mansterEZ1]

WOW!!! It seems we are revisiting the 1930s only with vehicles used as weapons. There is no way one could mistake going the wrong way on a freeway.

[buddyboy]

Wow! It is one thing to take your own life, but you don't need to involve innocent children. I would call this attempted murder.

[Major Variola (ret)]

Could be "mow 'em down" terrorism as advised by AQAP's second edition of Inspire.

[buddyboy]

Wow! Taking your own life is one thing, but to involve children is just not right at all. This guy should be charged with attempted murder for his actions.

[N. Thomas]

The guy is obviously not acting in anyone's best interest, to say the very least. It's a pretty bad situation all around, and we can only be very, very grateful for the outcome. As tempting as it may be, I don't believe that labeling people helps us to understand how we may try to prevent this from happening again. Thank all the Gods that the kids are okay!

[Tornadoes28]

What an idiot. Why can't these people do this in private?

[Ray]

Why didn't he just drive off a cliff instead.
Lock this clown up for good!

[Hughey]

this guy should get the death penalty.

[yayuhh]

if you want to commit suicide just kill yourself dont get innocent people involved!

[Krissy]

it seems like when someone wants to commit suicide, they dont want to take their own lives, they want to take others lives too! you dont hear of "man shoots self in apparent suicide" instead you hear "man kills others then turns gun on self in apparent suicide"

[Slick Rick]

I find it hard to believe that this person did what he is accused of and isn't mentally off balance.

[bigdad59]

I bet he had his seatbelt on.

[pat]

I hope it hurt good when they cut him out of that car

[Johnny]

This man could have seriously killed many people with his car. Its obvious that cars need to be banned because people cant be trusted with cars.

[Arrowhead Farms]

This guy should be charged with attempted murder! He when he headed for the school bus he knew that others could be hurt. I agree if he wanted to end his life he should have done something where no one else would be envolved. And please dont use the mental illness garbage.

[Crazy Driver]

If he truly wants to die I think he should have driven off a cliff instead.

[All Hallows Eve]

why a school bus though???

[tim wiley]

20-year-old woman student is police chief of violent Mexican town

That's a more appropriate way to commit suicide and make sure you get mentioned in the headlines.