Calif. Bus Crash Leaves 6 Dead, Many Injured

(CBS/AP)  A Greyhound bus traveling to Sacramento from Los Angeles has crashed on a state highway in California's Central Valley, killing six and injuring many others.

California Highway Patrol Officer Michelle Sigmond said the bus driver swerved to avoid another crash and slammed into the center divider and a tree at about 2:14 a.m. Thursday just outside downtown Fresno.

She said five people appear to have been killed immediately. Another person removed from the demolished bus died at the scene. There are multiple injuries, but Sigmond didn't know how many.

The bus departed Los Angeles late Wednesday and stopped in Fresno before continuing on its route to Sacramento.

Northbound lanes of Highway 99, a major route through the San Joaquin Valley, have been closed since the crash.

Greyhound officials confirmed there were 35 people on the bus, reports CBS station KOVR in Sacramento. CHP officers on the scene believe the driver of the bus is one of the fatalities. Greyhound said the driver had worked for the company since 1978.

CHP's major accident investigation team is headed to the fatal crash possibly involving two other vehicles.

Greyhound has dispatched a relief bus to pick up passengers that were not injured in the accident.

Watch local video from CBS Station KOVR in Sacramento:

Local Video from CBS13 in Sacramento

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[LAJAMESB]

IT'S UNFORTUNANT THAT THERE HAD TO SUCH A LOSS OF LIFE BUT THE BUS DRIVERS THAT TRAVEL THE HIGHWAYS OF CALIFONIA TRAVEL WAY WAY TO FAST, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS THAT THEY CARRY THERE WAS NO REASON THE BUS DRIVER DID NOT SEE THE VEHICLE HE HIT, AS IT WAS A PERFECTLY CLEAR NIGHT AND THE AREA IS WELL LIGHTED!
I THINK IT IS TIME FOR CALIFORNIA TO PUT A LOWER SPEED LIMIT ON BUS'S,AS IM OFTEN PASSED BY BUS'S DOING IN EXCESS OF 70 MILES AN HOUR,THEY SHOULD ALSO HAVE TO STOP AT THE CALIFORNIA CHP INSPECTION STATIONS AS DO TRUCKS AND BE SUBJECT TO INSPECTION AS SEEN FIT BY THE OFFICERS WORKING THE SCALES!

[formrusmcsgt]

California Highway Patrol Officer Michelle Sigmond said the bus driver swerved to avoid another crash and slammed into the center divider and a tree ...

The driver was either dozing or following too closely.

[roach9703]

Possibly, but what if the bronco cut in front of the bus and lost control ?

[MalloryDavis]

Wow! This is terrible.