Vegas Tour Buses Collide; 100 Hurt

Two tour buses returning to the Los Angeles area from Las Vegas collided outside Baker on Sunday, injuring more than 100 passengers -- at least eight critically -- and sending at least 40 to area hospitals.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene on the Interstate 15 desert highway as dozens of people struggled to get out of one of the buses, climbing through windows. The impact of the rear-end collision lifted up most of the seats in the back bus and sent passengers flying through the compartment.

Police said the buses collided as traffic slowed near the Halloran Springs Road exit about 13 miles northeast of Baker and about 35 miles from the state line. Most of those seriously injured were in the rear bus, which crumpled in the front.

California Highway Patrol officials said that the first bus braked suddenly, but hit the car in front of it. The second bus, which appeared to be following too closely, could not stop in time, the CHP said. Both were traveling through a construction zone where the speed limit was 55 mph.

“Almost immediately, the bus behind jammed on his brakes and couldn’t stop,” said CHP Officer Jeff Sechrist.

“The majority of the seats in the bus came loose and were crushing people,” said David Shield, 58, a Los Angeles resident, speaking of the rear bus. He was part of a group returning from a weekend trip to Las Vegas.

Officials at University Medical Center in Las Vegas said eight people had arrived at the hospital by Sunday evening, some with life-threatening injuries. Two women, ages 48 and 60, were in critical condition, a spokesman said.

Another eight were transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center in San Bernardino County, six in critical condition, according to hospital spokeswoman Julie Smith. Others were transported to nearby hospitals, including Barstow Community Hospital.

A driver and 56 passengers were aboard the front bus operated by Hebaragi & Lemi Bus Inc. of Gardena, said Eric Song, the company’s general manager. The bus had left Monterey Park on Saturday and was returning home Sunday, Song said. It was subcontracted from a tour company that specializes in Las Vegas trips.

“I’ve spoken to the driver of our bus and to the CHP,” said Song. “The driver said he stopped on a downhill grade and the other bus hit in the back and that he slid into a vehicle in front.”

Officer Adam Cortinas, a CHP spokesman, said, “The injured ranged from the walking wounded to those in critical condition.”

The accident occurred about 3:30 p.m. as both buses descended the “Baker Grade,” a four-lane stretch of freeway under construction as part of a road-widening project.

“I was in conversation with someone,” Shield said, “and I heard screaming and when I looked up we were heading straight into the bus ahead of us. Then all sorts of bad things started happening.” Shield was part of a group from South-Central L.A. that had chartered a bus from the Gold and Silver bus company to celebrate the birthday of a friend. They stayed at the Gold Strike hotel on Saturday. The party included two large families and their friends.

“Some people were on the floor and ankles got twisted and there were broken bones and scrapes,” Shield added. The bus driver broke his leg, police said.

Eduardo Alas, a 29-year-old Inglewood resident, was in the rear bus with his wife.

“I heard people screaming,” Alas said. “I looked up and the bus was swerving back and forth and then we hit the bus in front of us and everyone went flying.”

Though Alas was not injured, he was thrown four rows to the front. His wife, Tara Fuller, broke her arm. “She was in so much pain, we didn’t know what happened to her until we got to the hospital,” Alas said.

“Everyone was screaming. People couldn’t move,” Alas said. “Only a few of us were able to walk.”

Fearing the bus would catch fire, he said, people scrambled through windows because the front doors were impassable.

Alas said it took 10 minutes for ambulances to arrive. In 25 minutes, four helicopters began landing, one after the other. Firemen pried windows open using special equipment and carried people out through the windows on stretchers.

“When we got there, a lot of them were bailing out on their own through the windows,” said Sechrist. “We got the most seriously injured ones out.”

Passenger Carolee “Mona” Massiah, 52, said, “We were able to stand up, but we couldn’t move around. People were on top of each other.” She received eight stitches above her swollen shut left eye at the Las Vegas hospital.

The University Medical Center spokeswoman said that the facility was gearing up for more patients into the night.

“We’re mobilizing,” nursing supervisor Louise Burns said. “Everyone is here: All of our emergency crews, respiratory crews, security personnel, extra doctors. Right this minute, I can’t even count the number of people we have.”

On a normal Sunday afternoon, she said, the hospital would have three nurses and two doctors on duty.

The accident closed the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 for at least nine hours, backing up traffic from Las Vegas for miles.

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Times staff writers David Haldane, Daniel Hernandez and Steve Hymon contributed to this report.