Greyhound Issues Statement in Response to Fatal Bus Crash

(July 22) -- Greyhound Lines has issued a statement following up on the horrific bus crash that occurred outside Fresno, Calif., early this morning, killing six and injuring nine. It reads as follows:

At approximately 2:35 a.m. Pacific time on July 22, Greyhound Lines bus 30601, schedule 6888, was traveling northbound on Highway 99 in Fresno, Calif., with 35 ticketed passengers on board. The scheduled final destination was Sacramento, Calif. The coach was traveling to its next stop, Madera, Calif., when the accident occurred.

Sadly, two passengers as well as our driver have passed away. Our driver has worked for Greyhound Lines for 32 years. This operator was an excellent driver with a clean driving record and was a very well-respected member of the Greyhound family. He will be sorely missed by his colleagues and friends. Our thoughts are with the families of those affected by this incident.

We are cooperating with the California Highway Patrol as they investigate the incident.

Although the investigation into the accident is far from finished, initial reports based on the accounts of passengers and emergency respondents agree that the bus driver swerved to avoid an overturned SUV in the fast lane, striking it and another car and sending all three plummeting down an embankment and into a grove of trees, which pierced the bus.

Based on the new statement from Greyhound, three of those killed were either passengers in the other cars or pedestrians. The dead were four women and two men, The Associated Press reported.