Major injuries reported following truck versus bus crash

A truck crashed into a bus and sent over a dozen people to the hospital, some with major injuries.

California Highway Patrol said a pickup truck and a bus full of farm workers crashed on Friday morning.

CHP Sgt. Wesley Boerner said, “At about 5:40 this morning, at Bonds Corner Road and Hunt Road, down in the Holtville area, a farm labor bus was traveling southbound with about 25 to 30 passengers.”

He said one of them might have run a stop sign, but the investigation is ongoing.

“A dodge pickup truck was traveling eastbound coming up to the stop sign,” Boerner said.

The vehicles crashed. The bus overturned and hit a utility box completely destroying it.

“The farm labor vehicle rolled over onto its side and most occupants were injured,” Boerner said.

The truck lost control and hit a utility pole. They both went up in flames.

“Some of the people from the farm labor bus were able to pull the driver out,” Boerner said.

Over a dozen people were injured and were taken to the hospital. Both drivers sustained major injuries and burns; they were airlifted to nearby medical centers.

“Some were airlifted from the scene. The rest went to the El Centro Regional Hospital,” Boerner said.

CHP said the use of seatbelts prevented worse injuries.

“Many of the occupants on the bus were not wearing seat belts, even though they’re required to. The ones who were wearing their seatbelts were less injured than the ones who were not,” Boerner said.

No fatalities were reported, but CHP said that might change since the condition of both drivers is considered serious.