A tragic Mother's Day incident on the 60 Freeway in Hacienda Heights has left one person dead and numerous others injured after a tour bus, carrying 63 passengers from a casino trip to Koreatown, collided with an SUV. The incident, which occurred just after 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, resulted in the SUV catching fire, leading to the death of the driver, the sole occupant of the vehicle. As reported by KTLA, Los Angeles County Fire Department Public Information Officer Fred Fielding confirmed that emergency units were dispatched at 5:07 a.m. in reaction to the collision involving fire near Hacienda Boulevard.
The damage to the tour bus was significant, with a shattered windshield and obvious front-end damage. Of the bus's passengers, 32 were transported to various hospitals, with two individuals reported in critical condition, according to a statement given by CHP Officer Zachary Salazar to CBS Los Angeles. The California Highway Patrol also reported that an "field triage" situation unfolded due to the scope of the incident, necessitating a significant response from both the CHP and the LA County Fire.
Witness testimonies paint a harrowing picture of the crash's immediate aftermath, with one bus passenger, Joe Runnel, recounting how he was "thrown from the back seat of the bus to the floor about three or four seats down." Runnel described the chaotic scene with "a lot of hollering," in an interview obtained by KTLA. Another witness, Cesar, described the crash as unfolding "so quick" and noted the impact of the event occurring on a holiday, pointing out to KTLA how "[catastrophic] especially because it’s Mother’s Day."
While the investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, traffic on the westbound 60 Freeway experienced major delays, with only two lanes reopened to slow-moving traffic hours later. According to ABC7, officials anticipated the freeway would remain at least partially closed for extended hours. Furthermore, a report by NBC Los Angeles mentioned that in addition to the critically injured, twenty-six others received minor injuries in the crash, reflecting the broad range of harm caused by this Mother's Day tragedy on the 60.
