A bus carrying youth group members and adult supervisors reportedly crashed on their way to Denver, according to authorities. Colorado State Patrol has confirmed the crash that killed the driver and a seminarian who was accompanying the Catholic group back from Albequerque. The company that operates the charter bus service is coordinating with authorities to find a cause for the crash. Car accidents of this type often require considerable investigation by experts.
According to the limited report available, on the afternoon of June 23, the bus was being driven on Interstate 25 by a 36-year-old bus driver working for Follow the Sun, Inc., when the accident occurred. For reasons unknown, the bus crashed somewhere between Pueblo and Colorado Springs. The driver, along with a 53-year-old male passenger, were both killed in the impact. The driver was reportedly ejected from the bus.
A further 13 passengers were transported to local hospitals. Of those, four adults and one minor were reported as having suffered severe injuries. As of the following day, one passenger was still in critical condition, while three others remained hospitalized. Some witnesses reported that the driver may have suffered a seizure before the crash, but this has yet to be corroborated by authorities.
No criminal charges are filed in single-vehicle car accidents where the driver perished in the crash. However, it remains possible that he could have contributed materially to the accident, either through negligence of his own health concerns (should the seizure rumor be corroborated) or possibly through use of drugs or other substances. If it can be proven the driver was in any way responsible for the accident, the family of the deceased man and all of the injured parties may be entitled to file wrongful death and/or personal injury suits against his estate and Follow the Sun, the parent company.