BAKER, CA. (Pain In The Pass) >> One person who died in a crash involving a bus with 12 passengers near the town of Baker Tuesday night on Interstate 15 has been identified.
According to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, a passenger of the bus, Velia Monarrez, a 68-year-old resident of Las Vegas NV, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
On Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at 11:32pm, California Highway Patrol and San Bernardino County Fire Department responded to the traffic crash involving a passenger tour bus. The location of the crash was on southbound Interstate 15 about two miles before the Razor Road exit near the town of Baker.
Rescue crews arrived at the scene and located multiple people who had been ejected from the bus. They also requested multiple medical helicopters and several ambulances to transport the passengers.
CHP stated a 2016 Volvo bus owned by Tufesa USA LLC operated by a 51-year-old male from Las Vegas, NV, veered off roadway on southbound Interstate 15 before Razor Road at an unknown rate of speed. “The driver allowed the bus to veer to its right, leaving the roadway, entering the open desert terrain, west of Interstate 15 southbound. While traveling across the open desert, the tour bus hit a raised dirt berm and became airborne,” CHP officials said.
Initially, reports from the CHP traffic log stated the bus rolled over, however, through investigation it was determined that upon veering off the freeway, it was the result of the violent impact that caused the injuries.
“Upon impacting the ground, the front end of the tour bus collided with the ground and a concrete retaining wall, which abruptly stopped the bus and kept it upright. As a result of the violent collision with the wall, approximately 4-5 passengers were ejected into the open desert,” CHP officials said.
The one victim that was killed from the charter bus, Velia Monarrez, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other victims from the crash were a 59-year-old male from Las Vegas who was transported to University Medical Center, a 36-year-old female from Las Vegas who was transported to Sunrise Medical Center, and a 41-year-old female from Las Vegas who was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for major injuries by three Mercy Air helicopters.
A 10-year-old juvenile from Las Vegas and the 51-year-old male bus driver were transported to Barstow Community Hospital for moderate injuries.
Alcohol and/or drugs are not considered to be a contributing factor in this crash. The driver may have some kind of medical issue or fell asleep. This incident will be under investigation by the California Highway Patrol Barstow Office.
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