Two women died tragically last Wednesday afternoon, when a tour bus overturned on a snow-covered overpass along I-269 near Byhalia, Mississippi.
The crash injured more than 3 dozen others, some critically.
Teague VIP Express Bus Was Headed to Mississippi Casino
The November 14th accident occurred shortly after 12:30 p.m., as a Teague VIP Express bus was transporting 46 passengers from Huntsville, Alabama, to a casino in Tunica, Mississippi.
Many of those aboard were senior citizens.
In an interview with Huntsville’s WAFF, one passenger reported that all was well until the bus suddenly began to swerve.
“We spun around like two times, hit the railing then flipped over,” she said, adding that the vehicle began picking up speed during the second spin.
2 Died at Scene, 44 Treated for Broken Bones, Other Injuries
First-responders used the jaws-of-life to cut open the bus roof and rescue injured passengers.
Two women from Huntsville, Alabama, ages 61 and 70, died at the scene.
Two others suffered critical injuries and were taken to the Regional One trauma center in Memphis, Tennessee.
The remaining passengers were treated at area hospitals for fractured ribs, broken arms and legs, mild concussions, and other injuries.
Weather Warnings Issued for Mississippi Ahead of Casino Bus Crash
The National Weather Service issued an advisory for the area Wednesday morning, warning that light snow, sleet, and freezing rain could make travel difficult.
The DeSoto County Sherriff’s Department also released an alert urging drivers to avoid I-269 and several other roads due to icy and hazardous conditions. It’s not clear, however, if the bus driver was aware of the warning, as it was published roughly 30 minutes ahead of the crash.
The accident remains under investigation. Among other things, authorities are trying to determine how fast the bus was travelling before the driver lost control of the vehicle.
Bus Company in Mississippi Crash Has Record of Federal Safety Violations
Media reports indicate that Teague VIP Express has a record of violations with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
In February 2017, for example, federal inspectors cited the Alabama-based company for missing, worn, or welded steering components on two of its buses. Inspectors also discovered missing or defective axle components on one of the vehicles, while a third bus had a cracked or broken wheel rim.
All of those violations represented imminent hazards, forcing the buses out-of-service pending repairs by a certified mechanic.
The same inspection also identified 9 minor issues, including defective lighting, inoperative turn signals, an oil leak, and broken windshield wipers.
So far, however, it’s not clear if the bus involved in last Wednesday’s fatal crash was among the three cited in February 2017.
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