August 8, 2008 – TX Bus Crash Leaves 13 Dead

At least 13 people were killed and 34 injured early Friday when a private charter bus crashed on U.S. 75 in Sherman, Texas, police said.

The passengers were members of the Vietnamese Martyrs Church of Houston on a trip to a religious festival in Carthage, Mo., CNN reported.

The bus, carrying 55 passengers, left the roadway and crashed into a ravine, said Lt. Steve Ayers, head of the Sherman Police Department’s investigation.

“I think it would be premature to jump out there and say exactly what may have happened,” Ayers said. “We know one contributing factor would be that it appears that a right tire on the tour bus had a blowout and that certainly contributed to the accident.”

Ayers said many of those on the bus do not speak English well. But he said members of the church arrived to translate. The driver survived the crash and was able to answer questions.

Twelve adults died at the scene and one died at a Dallas hospital, Sherman police said.

The bus was one of several headed to the Marian Days festival, which honors the Virgin Mary.