Sierra tour bus crash leaves 2 dead, sends 31 to hospital

Sunday, Sept. 27, 1998 | 12:03 p.m.

California Highway Patrol officer Ron Wulff said the Coach USA bus was headed for Reno, Nev., when it overturned near Farad, 15 miles east of Truckee.

"We still don't know the cause," he said. "It's been raining off and on all day, but we don't know what the conditions were like at the time of the collision."

The CHP was unsure how many passengers were aboard the bus at the time of the 4:53 p.m. crash.

Thirteen people were sent to Washoe Medical Center in Reno, 14 to Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center in Reno and four to Tahoe-Forest Hospital in Truckee.

No life-threatening injuries were reported, but Washoe Med spokeswoman Kerri Garcia said at least six people would be admitted into her hospital with serious injuries.

"The majority are back and neck injuries," she said. "Most of them will be listed in satisfactory condition. The patients range in age from 23 to 67."

Most of the patients at the other two hospitals escaped with cuts and scrapes, and were to be treated and released, hospital spokeswomen said.

The accident caused traffic snarls in I-80's eastbound lanes. CHP investigators still were at the scene Saturday night.

Farad also is located four miles west of the California-Nevada line.