Bus Accident Near Running Springs Sends 20 to Hospital

Post by : Raina Nasser

Running Springs, California – Late Sunday night, a bus carrying teens and young adults from a church camp overturned on a winding mountain road near Running Springs, roughly 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles, injuring 20 individuals who required hospitalization. Authorities are currently probing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The vehicle, which was transporting 36 individuals, was returning from a youth retreat at Camp Nawakwa located in the San Bernardino Mountains when it lost control on a steep curve. Witnesses described the bus as shaking and swaying before it tipped over onto its side.

Cyntia Ramirez, a 21-year-old community college student on the bus, recounted the frightening experience. “The bus started rocking from side to side, and then it just tipped over,” she said, noting that a youth leader helped her escape through a hatch on the roof.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the scene around 8:50 p.m. Reports from the CHP indicate that the bus struck a rock embankment on the right shoulder of the road for unknown reasons, leading to its overturning.

The San Bernardino County Fire Department indicated that 26 passengers received medical attention at the incident site, with three suffering serious injuries. A total of 20 individuals were transported to nearby hospitals by ground ambulances. Thankfully, there was no fire or hazardous materials involved.

The bus was carrying participants from a larger group of approximately 125 individuals, including teens, staff, and volunteers from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Santa Ana. They were traveling home when the bus mishap occurred.

Youth leader Prisilla Mendoza, 20, shared that she was awakened by screams just prior to the accident and subsequently lost consciousness following the bus’s overturning. Father José Félix Troncoso, who organized the retreat, reported that several passengers have been hospitalized due to fractured fingers and at least one head injury.

The picturesque mountain route, which traverses forested cliffs at elevations of about 6,100 feet, was temporarily closed in both directions while authorities conducted their investigation. Church representatives expressed their appreciation to the first responders for their prompt action in evacuating passengers and administering medical aid.

“This was an unexpected accident,” reflected Ramirez, as she contemplated the ordeal. Investigators are continuing to explore the factors that caused the bus to lose control on the winding route.