Redding Personal Injury Lawyer - Mass Transit (Airline, Cruise Ship, Train, Bus) - Most Commented

Driver in Fatal Bus Rollover Crash Arrested

Todd Slaughter — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:16:04 GMT

WILLIAMS, Calif. - The 52 year-old driver of the charter bus that lost control and rolled over in a ditch, killing eight passengers, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of driving under the influence. The Associated Press has reported that the driver had a long history of drug and alcohol related problems, and that even his parents were concerned about his ability to drive a passenger bus. The driver also had an extensive criminal history through the 80's and 90's involving stolen property, check fraud, credit card theft, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of a destructive device. The driver's own mother revealed that he had been involved in a prior wreck a few years ago where drugs or alcohol were involved. It is unimaginable how this driver was hired and placed in control of the safety of 40 souls.

The ownership of the company that ran the charter is still being investigated as well. Initial indications is that the company is know as Cobbs Bus Services out of Modesto, California. The last registered owner appears to be House of Prayer Apostolic Faith Christian Center of Modesto, bearing the same address as Cobbs Bus Service. The owner of the company may have been killed in the crash.

Family members are still having difficulties finding loved ones that may have been involved in the crash. Most victims were transported to Enloe Hospital in Chico or U.C. Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Again, our profound condolences go out to the injured and those who lost family members in this inexcusable crash.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Todd Slaughter

Horrific Casino Bound Bus Rollover Kills 10

Todd Slaughter — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:35:42 GMT

COLUSA COUNTY, Calif - Yesterday evening at about 6:10 p.m. a charter bus bound for the Colusa Casino Resort drifted or veered off a rural two-lane road before it overcorrected and lost control. It appears the bus rolled several times, ejecting passengers, before coming to rest in a ditch. The accident happened off of Interstate 5, on Lone Tree Road, just east of the town of Williams.

Local emergency responders spent the night looking for victims strewn about the scene. Ten people have been confirmed dead. Twenty to thirty others were sent to local hospitals with serious to critical injuries. A large percentage of the passengers were of Laotian descent, creating some language barriers for the physicians and nurses at the hospitals.

The Redding Record Searchlight reports that the CHP is investigating whether the driver of the bus, also seriously injured, was under the influence of prescription or non-prescription drugs at the time of the crash. Local televison stations reported this morning that the driver has been placed under arrest. This has not been confirmed.

The ownership of the bus was not readily apparent. The markings on the bus identified it as a Greyhound. Greyhound, however, maintains that the bus had been sold to the charter company two years before.

Our heartfelt sorrow goes out to those that were injured or lost a loved one. We hope that the investigation gets to the root cause of this tragedy, so that it does not happen again.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Todd Slaughter

Increased Northern California Plane Crashes - Coincidence?

Slaughter Slaughter — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:05:11 GMT

On April 8, 2008, a single-engine Cessna crashed on the main runway at Redding Municipal Airport when its landing gear failed to deploy. The two occupants were involved in a flying lesson and walked away without apparent injury. This most recent airplane incident raises concern about the string of small plane accidents that have increased over the last four to five years in this Northern California hub.

This follows the crash of a Cessna near Benton Airpark only weeks before. The single-engine Cessna 180 struck the embankment above Starlight Dr. near Buenaventura Blvd. in west Redding and broke in half. The pilot suffered serious spinal injuries. The crash was 2000 feet from Benton’s landing strip and about 1000 feet from a residential area.

Last year, in April of 2007, another small plane made an emergency landing in the Whitehawk Subdivision of Redding, approximately ½ mile from Benton Airpark. The plane landed on a residential street. Neither the pilot nor any homeowners were injured.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, 12 crashes in route to or leaving Benton have occurred since 1984. Regarding the apparent increase in frequency of these crashes in the last four years, Redding Airport Manager, Rod Dinger, was quoted as saying, "It's unfortunate that we've had four accidents in the same general area. However, when you compare the past 12 years prior to that, we haven't had too many incidents at all. ... These just all happened almost at the same time."

Mr. Dinger’s comments only beg the question: Why are there more frequent small plane crashes in the Benton Airpark area in the last four years? Further, shouldn’t our level of concern and assessment increase as the area surrounding the airpark grows each year in residential development? Has the airpark outlived its necessity and usefulness?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Slaughter Slaughter