Bus crash: Nearly all injured students released from hospitals

All but one of the dozens of students injured in last week’s fatal bus crash in Northern California have been released from area hospitals, officials said Wednesday.

The fiery collision between a FedEx truck and a tour bus on Interstate 5 killed 10 people, including five high school students.

More than 30 teenagers had been taken to seven hospitals in Northern California. By Wednesday afternoon, most had been treated and released. One patient who had been confined to the ICU at Enloe Medical Center in Chico was upgraded to fair condition Monday and was released by Tuesday evening, as was a girl at UC Davis Medical Center who had been in critical condition Friday.

A teenage girl who remained at Shasta Regional Medical Center was listed in fair condition and was expected to be released late Wednesday or Thursday morning.

As many of the survivors continued to heal, others were mourned this week, including Michael Myvett, 29, and Mattison Haywood, 25, two chaperones on the trip who were engaged to be married next year.

Both were former students at Humboldt State University, and were accompanying underprivileged and first-generation college students for a visit to the school when a FedEx truck crossed the grassy median and collided with their tour bus head-on.

At a candlelight vigil Tuesday evening, about 200 people gathered at the home of Myvett’s grandmother in South Los Angeles to honor the couple. Blue and white balloons carried messages scrawled in marker. “Rest in peace,” one read.

Coroner’s officials confirmed the names of four of the victims Tuesday night, including both drivers. They are continuing to use dental records to identify the remaining bodies, many of which were burned beyond recognition.

Glenn County Sheriff-Coroner Larry Jones said if dental records are insufficient, detectives may need to use DNA evidence to confirm the identities.

Authorities were still trying to determine what caused the crash, and investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board were expected to remain in California through the weekend to conduct interviews.

christine.maiduc@latimes.com
Twitter: @cmaiduc