Fatal bus crash: Authorities seek video, photographs of wreck
California authorities investigating last week’s deadly collision of a FedEx truck and a tour bus filled with high school students are asking for the public’s help in piecing together how the crash occurred.
The California Highway Patrol is seeking videos and photos of the fiery crash on Interstate 5 in Orland, as well as witnesses and information related to the collision, the department said in a statement.
A FedEx freight truck crossed a median about 5:30 p.m. Thursday and slammed head-on into a charter bus carrying 48 people, including 44 Southern California high school students headed for an orientation program at Humboldt State University.
Five students were killed, as were three adult chaperons and the drivers of the two vehicles. The students were part of a university program that provides higher-education opportunities for low-income and first-generation college students.
The Glenn County coroner said Monday that none of the 10 victims had been positively identified because of the extent of damage to the bodies. Authorities are relying on dental records and DNA. Some families, however, have confirmed some of the names of the dead.
CHP investigators continue to examine what caused the FedEx truck to lose control and cross the interstate median. Witnesses described at least one explosion as soon as the two vehicles collided.
Ryan Householder, whose mobile home faces the southbound lane of the highway, said passengers were jumping out of windows in the rear half of the bus.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact CHP Officer Lacey Heitman at (530) 225-2715 or by email at lheitman@chp.ca.gov.
Twitter: @haileybranson | Google+
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
