Dashcam Footage Shows Moment Bus Loses Control on California Freeway

Dramatic dashcam video of a bus crash that left 40 people hurt shows the moment the passenger bus lost control and slammed through the center divider on a busy Southern California freeway Sunday afternoon.

The California Highway Patrol says the incident took place just after 1 p.m. on the 405 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley when the northbound bus ended up in front of a white truck towing a trailer.

The video shows the truck trying to get in front of the bus when the driver slams on his brakes. The driver tries avoiding the truck, ultimately losing control of the bus as it careens across several lanes of traffic, slamming into a concrete divider and into oncoming traffic on the 405. 

"We're looking at why did the bus swerve to the right, and then all the way to the left across all lanes and go through the center divider. That's what we're right now investigating," California Highway Patrol Officer LeLand Tang told Fox 11. 

One witness who spoke with the bus driver, 60-year-old Ophelia Rodriguez, said the driver of the truck slammed on his brakes and Rodriguez was just trying to avoid hitting the trailer. 

"There was a theory circulating that this might be a road rage incident, we're not going that direction at this point, it's too early," Tang said. "We're in the process of doing as we speak is we're going through all the witnesses, interviewing witnesses, we also have a scheduled vehicle forensic analysis on the bus to make sure there were no steering issues, brake issues or mechanical issues."

Three women were treated for serious injuries at the scene, as well as two men, Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department said. The bus driver is the only person who is still hospitalized from the crash. Authorities have not yet been able to interview her because of her injuries. 

Six other people suffered minor injuries and were reported to be in fair condition.

The crash shut down the freeway's southbound lanes for hours, causing a severe traffic backup that stretched for miles. 


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