Police: Blowout caused fatal crash

Semi-truck hits bus head-on, kills 4

The Associated Press

THOREAU, N.M. — Authorities said Thursday that preliminary information indicates a blown tire on a semi-truck is to blame for a head-on crash that killed at least four people and injured numerous others aboard a commercial passenger bus.

New Mexico State Police said the semi was headed east when one of its tires blew, sending the rig across the median and into oncoming traffic where it slammed into the Greyhound bus.

Police said a number of bus passengers were transported to hospitals with serious injuries.

They could not immediately say how many people were injured.

A motorist who came upon the scene described it as chaotic, with people screaming, passengers on the ground, and debris scattered across an interstate highway.

Chris Jones said in a phone interview that he was headed west Thursday on Interstate 40 near the Arizona state line when he saw the semi-truck on its side and a Greyhound bus with front-end damage.

Mr. Jones said he stopped to help and talked to the driver, who told him that one of his front tires had popped, forcing the truck to veer into oncoming traffic, whereit struck the bus.

Greyhound said 49 passengers were on the bus. The company said it is cooperating with authorities and plans its own investigation.

The bus was headed from Albuquerque to Phoenix when the crash happened near Thoreau.

The crash forced the closure of the westbound lanes of the interstate and traffic was backing up as travelers were being diverted.