Deadly Bus Crashes with Two Vehicles on Dark Mountain Highway

MENTONE, California (Feb. 3, 2013)  — Roughly eight people were killed and at least 38 others were injured Sunday night when a tour bus lost control while driving downhill and crashed into two other vehicles including a pickup truck and a sedan on Highway 38 in the Forest Falls area, according to the California Highway Patrol.

About 6:30 p.m., Norbert B. Perez, 52, of San Ysidro was driving the private tour bus carrying 39 people and was allegedly riding the vehicle’s brakes as it descended the dark, winding two-lane highway packed with other vehicles. The runaway bus allegedly rear-ended a Saturn sedan causing the bus to rollover and hit a Ford pickup truck  that was pulling a trailer.

The private charter bus was apparently returning to Tijuana, Mexico. Police believe the bus eventually lost complete use of its brakes and picked up speed as it drove down the mountain. Witnesses told news reporters they heard the driver riding on the brakes and saw smoke coming from them. The company that owns the bus, Scapadas Magicas LLC of National City, allegedly has a poor safety record including past issues with faulty brakes and tires, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. The U.S. Department of Transportation has placed the company on its watch list “for intervention and roadside inspection.”

Dozens of fire fighters had to cut and rescue multiple victims including children who were trapped in the bus and other vehicles. Several people were ejected during the rollover crash.

The victims, which included 15 with life-threatening injuries,  were reportedly medical students who had been on a ski trip to Big Bear. The injured were taken by paramedics to several hospitals including Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Redland Community Hospital, St. Bernadine Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino and others in the vicinity.

The three people who were in the Saturn suffered minor injuries in the crash. The drivers of the bus and the Ford pickup truck both suffered major injuries and were hospitalized.

According to an article in the San Diego Union Tribune, one of the passengers Diana Maldonado 28, of San Ysidro was ejected from the bus into the roadway, but miraculously she is expected to survive the crash. Others who were lucky to survive the crash who were injured included Heriberto Hernández, 36, and his wife Roxana Alejandra, 30, both of Tijuana, Mexico.

Police are investigating the crash to determine exactly what happened and the area is expected to be closed through Monday.

San Bernardino Wrongful Death Personal Injury Accident Attorney

This article was sponsored by the Seegmiller Law Firm.

“We are a victim’s law firm that helps people who are hurt because of someone else’s negligence,” said Attorney West Seegmiller. “A personal injury attorney will make sure that evidence is collected and an investigation is conducted to ensure your rights are protected after a car crash.”

For over 30 years, the firm has been a staunch advocate for victims’ rights and has fought to win justice for clients involved in personal injury and wrongful death cases, including premises liability, product liability, auto accidents, dog bites, nursing home negligence, medical malpractice, at-work injuries, police brutality and more.  The firm has offices in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Call 1-855-275-9378 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

(Copyright ©2013 The Seegmiller Law Firm. All Rights Reserved.)