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TREMONTON — Nearly two dozen people were injured, including one person who suffered "life-threatening injuries," when a bus crashed on I-84 near Tremonton early Monday, according to authorities.
The bus, operated by Salt Lake Express, was traveling east from Boise to Salt Lake City at around 4:30 a.m. when the crash happened, according to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden. He said it appears that the driver lost control while making a lane change on the slick road about 5 to 7 miles west of Tremonton, causing the bus to slide off the road before it rolled onto its side.
Thirty-three people were on the bus, including the bus driver. The highway patrol said 23 people were injured, though most were treated and later released. However, one suffered "life-threatening injuries," while four others received "more serious" injuries that aren't believed to be life-threatening, according to the UHP. Other passengers were transported to the Garland Armory.
Alek Peeples, who was on the bus, recalled the moment the bus slid off the roadway, telling KSL-TV it was "terrible." Peeples said the trip was one leg of his journey back home to Michigan from Oregon.
"I felt the bus getting more and more out of control as it was shaking," Peeples said. "But then the clear thought that hit me was just when everybody started panicking, screaming as (the driver) turned off the road and then the bus started flipping."
After the bus flipped on its side, Peeples said he was able to escape through an emergency escape hatch in the roof. Peeples made it through with only a few scratches, which he said "was just pure luck."
"All I could hear (were) children screaming for their mom and stuff," he said. "It was terrible. There was blood everywhere. ... It was terrible."
Update from @Intermountain:
— Matt Rascon (@MattRasconNews) December 12, 2022
22 people transported to Intermountian Bear River Hospital in Tremonton. Majority treated & evaluated for minor injuries. 3-4 are serious to critical and will likely be transferred to larger hospitals for trauma care. @KSL5TVpic.twitter.com/8Zb4X4Fbj5
Peeples said he and other passengers flagged down passing cars and called 911. Ambulances arrived around 20 minutes later, he said. Most of the passengers were injured by falling on top of one another when the bus flipped, Peeples said.
"Almost every ambulance probably in the county (responded)," said UHP Sgt. Brian Nelson. "They were doing the best they could; it was an amazing response from them."
Troopers said the crash was cleared by 11 a.m.
The accident remains under investigation. Nelson said troopers know to expect crashes during winter storms and urged drivers to slow down when conditions worsen.
Peeples said he would think twice about taking a bus in winter weather again.
"Don't be cheap and take the (bus)," he said. "Make sure you get a plane ticket during the winter."
Contributing: Linda Williams, Carter Williams
