Bus on Fresno-to-Las Vegas route collides with cars in high desert, killing woman

A charter bus was traveling through the Southern California high desert from Fresno to Las Vegas when it crossed into oncoming traffic and ran into two cars, leaving one woman dead and injuring 26 people, authorities said.

Investigators were trying to learn why the tour bus crossed into the westbound lanes of Highway 58 near Kramer, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Benson said.

The woman killed was 55 years old and was in one of the two cars the bus hit, Benson said.

Nine people suffered life-threatening injuries in Monday afternoon’s crash, and 17 others were taken to hospitals with injuries that weren’t considered to be life-threatening, said Eric Sherwin, a San Bernardino County Fire spokesman.

Benson said the bus, owned by Arcadia, California-based A&F Tours Inc., seats about 30 passengers. The company didn’t respond to a message seeking comment.

This story was originally published February 28, 2017 at 12:51 PM with the headline "Bus on Fresno-to-Las Vegas route collides with cars in high desert, killing woman."