Incident Overview

Early Sunday morning, a devastating accident on State Route 60 in Los Angeles County claimed the life of one individual and left 32 others injured. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the collision occurred just after 5 a.m. near Hacienda Heights, east of downtown Los Angeles.

Details of the Collision

The crash involved a tour bus with 63 passengers and a Nissan Pathfinder that had become disabled in the westbound lanes. According to Officer Zachary Salazar of the CHP, the tour bus collided with the SUV, which subsequently erupted into flames.

The driver of the Pathfinder, who has not yet been identified, tragically succumbed to injuries after becoming trapped in the burning vehicle. In contrast, the fire did not extend to the tour bus; however, 32 passengers were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment, with two reported in critical condition.

Causation and Investigation

Preliminary investigations suggest that the bus driver, Sui Sheng Du, did not see the stationary SUV in time to avoid the collision. “As a result of the impact, the Nissan Pathfinder became fully engulfed in flames,” Salazar indicated, noting the hazardous conditions created by the burning vehicle.

Following the collision, the bus veered across multiple lanes before crashing into a guardrail, highlighting the chaotic aftermath of the accident.

Victims and Response

The Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed that while most victims sustained minor to moderate injuries, the critical conditions of two individuals have sparked concerns. The bus was en route to Koreatown in downtown Los Angeles, having departed from Morongo Valley, situated about 110 miles away.

Images from the scene depicted significant front-end damage to the bus, underscoring the severity of the impact.

Contributing Factors

Authorities are currently investigating the reason behind the Nissan Pathfinder’s malfunction. Preliminary reports indicate that neither drugs nor alcohol were factors in the incident.