California-based JAG Transportation, Inc. is facing scrutiny today, after one of its 18-wheelers collided with a Greyhound bus along I-40 in McKinley County, New Mexico, killing several passengers and injuring dozens of others.
18-Wheeler Collided Head-on with Greyhound Bus
The August 30th crash occurred around 12:30 p.m., when a 2017 Freightliner semi-tractor-trailer traveling east on the interstate blew a tire, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
The truck crossed the median and collided head-on with a westbound Greyhound bus en route to Los Angeles with 49 people aboard.
“It just happened like that — it was just out of nowhere, you have no control over it,” truck driver Elisara Taito told CBS News following the accident.
“As soon as it happened, I just knew that I was going to die,” he continued. “I was surprised that I made it.”
Police Identify 5 of 8 Tragically Killed in Greyhound Bus Crash
Unfortunately, 8 people did not make it, including the driver of the Greyhound bus and 6 passengers who were declared dead immediately after the crash.
Another Greyhound passenger died just hours after being taken to the hospital.
So far, the New Mexico State Police have identified 5 of the dead:
- Charla Bale, 34
- Terry Mason, 45
- Veronica Jean Williams, 49
- Sadie Thomas, 50
- Greyhound Bus Driver, Luis Alvarez, 50
Injured Include Pregnant Woman Who Gave Birth to Premature Twins
A total of 37 Greyhound passengers were taken to Gallup Indian Medical Center, though many were later transferred to trauma centers elsewhere.
A total of 10 patients remained hospitalized at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque as of Friday, including 3 adults who were admitted to the ICU. One was listed as critical.
Injuries ranged from head trauma to spinal fractures and other broken bones. Some patients were expected to undergo surgery on Friday or Saturday.
“Several of them will have a long road of recovery ahead,” Sonlee West, director of the hospital’s trauma unit, told Fox26. “We have been in contact with family members of several of the patients, and several of them have been able to talk to their families.”
The injured also included a pregnant woman who delivered her twins prematurely due to the impact of the crash. She and her children – a boy and girl weighing about 3 lbs. each — are said to be doing well.
Jag Transportation Involved in 3 Crashes Over Past 2 Years
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were called to the site of the Greyhound bus crash on Thursday afternoon.
They have already recovered the 18-wheeler’s electronic logging components, while the rig’s two front tires have been sent to a lab in Washington, D.C. for analysis.
Subpoenas have also been issued for blood tests and medical records for both drivers.
Investigators are working to arrange an interview with the 18-wheeler driver and are scheduled to meet with representatives from JAG Transportation today.
Headquartered in Fresno, the company owns 17 trucks and employs 10 drivers.
According to federal safety records, JAG Transportation has been involved in 3 crashes in just the past 2 years.
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