Coroner's and crash investigators were preparing Monday morning to remove remains of at least one victim from a tour bus that overturned Sunday night on State Route 38 north of Yucaipa, where at least eight fatalities were confirmed and many more were injured.
The three-vehicle crash was reported just after 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 on the 38 north of Bryant Street, east of Mentone and Redlands, according to the CHP.
The Associated Press reported the bus driver was having brake problems coming down the mountain on State Route 38. The bus rear-ended a sedan then flipped over and hit a pickup truck that was pulling a trailer, The Associated Press reported.
Department of Transportation spokeswoman Michelle Profant told The Associated Press that the bus passengers were part of a tour group from Tijuana, Mexico, and a representative from the Mexican consulate was at the crash scene.
The bus is registered to Scapadas Magicas LLC of National City, CHP Officer Mario Lopez said at a road block south of the crash scene.
The 38 was closed at Bryant and the road was expected to remain closed until later Monday as the investigation continued at the scene.
As a popular tourist destination, Temecula is familiar with tour buses in its city -- but how safe are they?
The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration offers safety tips for passengers looking to book a bus tour trip.
The agency provides a list of questions to ask a motor coach agency, and offers a list of qualifications a driver should have, vehicle standards, and other information.
