Two students from San Diego schools survived the recent deadly crash in northern California when a FedEx truck rammed head-first into the bus in which they were riding. That deadly crash killed ten people, including five students, the driver of the bus and the driver of the FedEx truck, according to reports.
Grossmont Union High School District confirmed that a senior attending Valhalla High School was on the bus that morning. Harley Hoyt, 18, is recovering from minor injuries. He is said to have kicked open a window and helped some other students escape the wreckage. During this time, he sustained cuts to his knees.
Hoyt’s testimony paint a grim picture of what happened that morning. According to Hoyt, the FedEx truck barreled down on the bus as the driver slammed on the brakes. “I heard everyone screaming,” he said. “The flames were insane. The windows were blowing up because it was so hot.” He bit a hole through his lip when he was thrown into a seat in front of him.
Fortunately, Hoyt realized that there was an exit window near him. He pulled up the lever and kicked it open, and the other students followed him out. He says that in their haste to exit the bus, people actually fell on top of him. It was “utter chaos,” Hoyt says.
Another student from Gompers Preparatory Academy was also on the bus and survived the crash.
A total of nearly 50 people were on the bus when it collided with the truck. No one is sure exactly what caused the FedEx truck to leave the southbound side of the Interstate, cross the median and hit the bus, but an investigation is underway.
It is not always possible to get a first-hand account of what happened in such a terrible tragedy as this accident. Fortunately, although ten people died and others were injured, many of the students survived, in part to quick thinking like Harley Hoyt’s.
However, for those who were injured and the families who lost loved ones, the horror continues. While it is impossible to say at this point who is ultimately responsible for this crash, it is very important for the victims to be able to recover compensation to pay for medical treatment and other expenses.
Daniel M. Gilleon represents those who have been injured in accidents of all types. Contact Gilleon Law Firm, APC in San Diego to learn more about how to protect your rights if you are the victim of an accident.