Church Bus Collides With San Bernardino County FD Vehicle, Slides Down Mountain

THOMAS WATKINS
Associated Press

PASADENA, Calif. - A bus carrying members of a Korean church collided with another vehicle and slid off a mountain highway, killing the driver and seriously injuring 10 others, authorities said.

This video image provided by CBS2/KCAL9 News shows rescue efforts after a school bus carrying up to 25 children aboard slid over the side of a highway in a Southern California ski area near Twin Peaks, Calif., after colliding with a Nissan Murano traveling the opposite direction. Fire Protection spokesman Bill Peters says the bus fell about 20 feet over the side of the road after it collided with a San Bernardino County Fire Department vehicle and a power pole. (AP Photo/CBS2/KCAL9 News)

 


This video image provided by CBS2/KCAL9 News shows rescue efforts after a school bus carrying up to 25 children aboard slid over the side of a highway in a Southern California ski area near Twin Peaks, Calif., after colliding with a Nissan Murano traveling the opposite direction. Fire Protection spokesman Bill Peters says the bus fell about 20 feet over the side of the road after it collided with a San Bernardino County Fire Department vehicle and a power pole. (AP Photo/CBS2/KCAL9 News)

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The group, mostly middle-school or high-school aged members of the Light of Love Mission Church congregation, was returning to Pasadena from a weekend retreat in Twin Peaks when their driver lost control on a curve and crossed into oncoming traffic.

After striking a Nissan Murano, the bus sheared off a telephone pole and slid about 20 feet down an embankment Monday, San Bernardino County authorities said.

The bus driver, Won Seok Chae, 61, was killed in the collision. Ten others were seriously injured and another 13 suffered minor to moderate injuries, California Highway Patrol Officer Mario Lopez said.

Daniel Lee, a deacon at the Pasadena-based church, said the bus was returning from the Pinecrest Christian Conference Center near the crash site.

Church member William Sa said he had been nervous about the children on the trip, given recent weather that dumped rain and snow over much of Southern California.

"I just had a bad feeling that the weather was so severe," he said.

The CHP said the road where the bus slid was wet, but not icy.

John Cho, another deacon at the church, said the bus driver was a professional driver who volunteered to make the trip.

Lee said he normally would have driven the bus. "I was supposed to be driving, but I had a job to do," Lee said as he choked back tears. "So I asked other church member to drive."

Lopez said alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash.



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Information from: The Sun, http://www.sbsun.com

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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OMG!!! This call is a total nightmare considering that a FD Battalion Chief's vehicle may have been involved with the bus crash that ended up in a ravine. If having an over the side MCI wasn't bad enough, having the bus hit live electrical power lines added to the delay in gaining access to the patients. It should be interesting to find out why the accident happened and if the FD was responsible in any way. I sure hope not. This should serve as a reminder to everyone responding to an event in in-climate weather to watch out for the other guy and always drive defensively. Couple this with bad weather and road conditions and... something like this can happen.

CBz
Per the CHP CAD- 11:57AM BUS VS BATALIAN CHIEF VEH This was copied and pasted. Not my spelling.
The BC was from my department and contrary to the initial Cal Fire report, he was off duty and in his private vehicle not his department vehicle. The bus reportedly hit the passenger vehicle head on. Tragic the loss of a life and the many injured.
What a tradegy.

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