1 Killed, Several Injured in I-15 Bus Crash Near Highway 76

Last updated at 12:45 a.m. Dec. 20; originally posted at 4:40 p.m. Dec. 19

One person was killed and about two dozen others injured this afternoon when a tour bus veered out of control and overturned on Interstate 15 in northern San Diego County.

The southbound coach crashed near State Route 76 in the Pala Mesa area about 2:30 p.m., leaving two lanes blocked, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office identified the deceased as 64-year-old Tayde Murguia of Van Nuys.

Ambulances took a total of 21 victims to several North County trauma centers, NorthComm Dispatch reported. It was not immediately clear if any others were treated at the scene of the wreck and required no hospital care.

At the time of the accident, the tour vehicle, operated by Bell-based Five Star Bus Charter, was on its way from Los Angeles to Valley View Casino, CHP public-affairs Officer Jim Bettencourt told NBC San Diego.

The driver told investigators the bus was traveling at about 55 mph when it began swerving for unknown reasons and then tipped over, Bettencourt said. The freeway was wet from rainfall at the time, but it was unclear if the surface moisture was a factor in the crash, he said.

Earlier today, an RTA commuter bus crashed on SR-74. Click here for that report.

A Pala Casino tour bus crash Thursday afternoon on the northbound 15 Freeway in Corona left several passengers injured. Click here for that report.

—City News Service and Patch staff contributed to this report.