Bus Accident Injures Church Group in California

A bus carrying a church group, which included several teenagers, was involved in an accident that resulted in injuries to twenty-six individuals while returning from a youth retreat in California.

Out of those affected, twenty were taken to hospitals, while six opted not to receive further medical attention on the scene. Three of the hospitalized church members sustained serious injuries, according to police. In total, there were thirty-six people aboard the bus.

The group, from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Santa Ana, had traveled to Camp Nawaqua in the San Bernardino Mountains for a three-day retreat and was on their way back to Orange County in multiple buses. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. on a winding two-lane highway near Running Springs, as stated by the Diocese of Orange.

Father José Félix Troncoso, the church’s pastor, mentioned on Monday afternoon that six members were still receiving treatment for broken fingers and at least one head injury.

Fortunately, another van carrying the remaining retreat participants made it to their destination without any issues.

A witness recounted the moments leading up to the accident, explaining that the bus caught fire when the driver attempted to slow down for a sharp turn. “They were applying the brakes, and just as he came into this corner, you could see that the car was about to flip over. So he pushed the car against the wall and tried to stop it, which obviously didn’t work,” the witness told a news outlet.

Despite the chaos, all thirty-six occupants managed to exit safely, with some, like 21-year-old Cynthia Ramirez, escaping through the top hatch with assistance from youth leaders. “It was just a freak accident,” she remarked.

Priscilla Mendoza, a 20-year-old youth leader, described her experience, stating that she was asleep when the incident occurred and awoke to the sounds of screaming. After the crash, she lost consciousness and couldn’t recall how she managed to escape.

The California Highway Patrol has since closed the roadway in both directions for ongoing investigation into the crash.