Tour Bus Crashes on 215 Freeway

Perris (myFOXla.com) - Eight people were critically injured and 20 others suffered minor to moderate injuries Saturday in a tour bus crash in Perris, fire officials said.     

Cristy Fajardo has the video report in the player to the left.

The crash was reported at 4:50 p.m. on the northbound Escondido Expressway (215) just south of West Nuevo Road, said Battalion Chief David Fulcher of the Riverside County Fire Department.     
   
Everyone on the bus was injured and taken to the hospital, and six passengers had to be extricated, Fulcher said.     
   
About 20 people suffered moderate to minor injuries, said Cheri Patterson, an information officer for Cal Fire Riverside County Fire Department. The condition of the driver was unknown, said Officer Daniel Hesser of the California Highway Patrol.     
   
Ten ambulances and three helicopters were used to transport the injured, Fulcher said.     
   
The bus, an Inland Empire Stages bus based in Rancho Cucamonga, was heading from San Diego on a return trip to Colton in San Bernardino County, Hesser said. All the passengers were adults between 20 and 80 years old, Hesser said.     
   
The bus first hit a wall along the shoulder of the freeway, scraping against it before continuing and striking a second wall, knocking a hole in it,  Hesser said. The bus had significant damage to its right front side, Hesser said.     
   
It is not known why the bus struck the walls, Hesser said.     
   
The northbound side of the freeway will remain closed until the CHP finishes its investigation, Hesser said.