Post by : Rameen Ariff

Running Springs, California – Late Sunday night, a bus transporting teens and young adults back from a church camp flipped on a winding mountain road near Running Springs, approximately 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles, injuring 20 passengers who were hospitalized. The authorities are currently investigating the incident.

The bus was returning from a three-day youth retreat at Camp Nawakwa in the San Bernardino Mountains, carrying a total of 36 individuals when it lost control on a sharp turn. Witnesses reported the bus rocking before it ultimately tipped over.

Cyntia Ramirez, a 21-year-old community college student on the bus, recounted her terrifying experience. “The bus began swaying back and forth, and then it just fell over,” she stated. Youth leaders helped her escape through a hatch on the roof.

California Highway Patrol arrived at the scene around 8:50 p.m. and reported that the bus crashed into a rock embankment on the right side of the road “for unknown reasons,” which resulted in the vehicle overturning.

The San Bernardino County Fire Department confirmed that 26 passengers were treated at the scene, with three suffering serious injuries. Ground ambulances were utilized to transfer 20 individuals to local hospitals. Thankfully, there were no fires or hazardous materials involved.

The passengers were part of a larger group from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Santa Ana, which included around 125 attendees made up of teens, staff, and volunteers. Multiple vehicles were involved in their journey home when the bus incident occurred.

Youth leader Prisilla Mendoza, age 20, described waking to screams just before the overturn and then losing consciousness as the bus rolled over. Father José Félix Troncoso, who organized the retreat, mentioned that several passengers remained hospitalized with broken fingers and at least one head injury.

The picturesque mountain road, running through forested cliffs at elevations of roughly 6,100 feet, was temporarily closed in both directions while the investigation was conducted. Church officials expressed appreciation to first responders for their prompt actions in evacuating passengers and administering medical aid.

“This was a freak accident,” reflected Ramirez. Investigations are ongoing to determine the factors that led to the bus losing control on the twisting highway.

#Global