Red Bluff Daily News

April 15, 2014

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By Almendra Carpizo acarpizo@chicoer.com @AlmendraCarpizo on Twitter OrlAnd » Investigators of Thursday's fiery crash con- tinue to seek witness ac- counts in an attempt to piece together the series of events that lead to a head-on colli- sion between a tractor-trailer and a bus that resulted in the death of 10 people. Witness accounts are com - ing in slowly, said Keith Hollo- way, public affairs officer for the National Transportation Safety Board, on Monday. NTSB is still looking for vid - eos and photos and for wit- nesses to come forward. In cases like this one, where there isn't evidence to know what happened prior to the crash, witness accounts can help, he explained. It was about 5:40 p.m. on Interstate 5 near Orland, when a southbound FedEx tractor-trailer veered off to the left, crossed a 58-foot- wide median and struck two northbound vehicles. A Nissan Altima with two pas - sengers was sideswiped by the big rig before it collided head-on with a tour bus car- rying 48 people, mostly high school students. Five stu- dents and five adults died as a result of the crash. The NTSB arrived in Or- land at 10 a.m. on Friday to join the California Highway Patrol's Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team, and since then, NTSB has been gathering information and reviewing the evidence it does have, Halloway said. There have been no de - velopments since NTSB's last press briefing on Sun- day, where it stated there was no evidence of FedEx's 2007 Volvo big rig being on fire prior to the crash. NTSB member Mark Rosekind also said the agency was attempt - ing to obtain cellphone video recorded by 53-year-old Bon- nie Duran, who was driving the Nissan Altima, but Hol- loway said he did not know whether the agency was in possession of the video. Duran reportedly stated the FedEx tractor-trailer was on fire before it crashed into her car, but Orland resi - dent Ryan Householder, who was reportedly mowing his lawn, which faces the south- bound lanes of I-5, told the Los Angeles Times (goo.gl/ XrXI7P) Sunday there was no fire prior to the crash. NTBS stated on Sunday that of the two semi-trailers the Fed-Ex driver was haul - ing, only one had a partial load, but as of Monday, the exact contents were still un- known, Holloway said. Investigators are also focusing on the drivers, 32-year-old trucker Tim Ev - ans of Elk Grove and bus driver 53-year-old Talalelei Lealao-Taiao of Sacramento, who were both killed during the crash. The investigation will cen - ter around people who inter- acted with them in the days and hours before the crash. Toxicology reports, medical history and phone records will also be included into the investigation. There's been a lot of con - flicting reports, which is also why it's important to gather as much information as pos- sible, authorities said. The California Highway Patrol is also asking that anyone who witnessed the crash to come forward. Any - one with information, includ- ing photographs and video of the collision, is asked to con- tact officer Lacey Heitman at 225-2715 or can email her at lheitman@chp.ca.gov. While NTSB plans on shifting the investigation to the Los Angeles area in about a week to interview survivors, the Glenn County Sheriff's Office is continuing its efforts to positively iden - tify the nine victims who died at the scene in Orland. The Sheriff's Office has been very busy, but it's still too early to provide names, said Undersheriff Rich Warren on Monday. Although there have been reports identifying vic - tims, the Sheriff's Office has not confirmed the identify of the nine victims. It's known who was on the bus, but none of the bodies have been posi - tively identified. Contact reporter Almendra Carpizo at 896-7760. FAtAl Bus CrAsh Au th or it ie s st il l lo ok in g fo r wi tn es se s Rich PedRoncelli — The AssociATed PRess An orland high school student cleans the glass on the school's sign Friday aer placing a memorial remembering the victims of a fiery bus crash in orland. The Associated Press OrlAnd » Both drivers in the fiery Northern Califor- nia crash involving a Fe- dEx truck and bus full of students had clean driving records. FedEx driver Tim Ev - ans and the driver of the chartered bus, Talalelei Lealao-Taiao, were killed along with eight passen - gers Thursday when the truck veered across the median of Interstate 5 and smashed into the bus. California's Department of Motor Vehicles said nei - ther driver had a moving violation, although Lealao- Taiao's license was briefly suspended in 2004, The Sac - ramento Bee reported. The reason for the suspension was not immediately clear. The Glenn County coro - ner has not released official identifications, but the Bee spoke with a member of Ev- ans' extended family, and Lealao-Taiao's employer, Silverado Stages Inc., con- firmed her name. Other than an expres- sion of grief, the company declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. The bus was carrying 44 students from Southern Cali - fornia for a free tour of Hum- boldt State University on the state's far north coast. Many were hoping to be the first in their families to attend col - lege. Five students and three adult chaperones died, along with the drivers. Federal and state investi - gators expect to take months to determine what caused Evans to lose control of his truck, which sideswiped a sedan and collided with the bus. Dozens of injured stu - dents escaped through win- dows before the vehicles ex- ploded into towering flames and billowing smoke in Or- land, 100 miles north of Sac- ramento. The sedan driver told in- vestigators the truck was in flames before the crash, but the National Transpor- tation Safety Board has said investigators found no phys- ical evidence of a pre-impact fire or other witnesses to confirm that account. nOrthern CAliFOrniA Drivers in bus crash had clean records •••••••••••••• Elect •••••••••••••• REAL •••••• • Experience ••••••• L A R R Y OLSEN FOR Tehama County District Attorney lao4law@aol.com Learn more about Larry at: www.larryaolsen.com Paid for by the Campaign to elect Larry Olsen TK/Kindergarten registration will also be happening from 5:30-6:15 in room 1. The 8th grade dinner is at 5:30-7:00 in the gym; Classrooms open from 6:15-7:00; drawing and auction at 7:00. All proceeds benefit the 8th grade's end of the year class trip and graduation. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! Reeds Creek School is hosting its annual 8 th grade dinner, fundraiser and auction on April 17th! (530) 527-1000 • 1-800-545-3500 visit us at: www.redbluffroundup.com Like us on facebook RODEO AMERICA'S ORIGINAL EXTREME SPORT! APRIL 18, 19, 20, 2014 1921 ~ 2014 93 RD FRIDAY FAMILY 4 PACK $35 530-366-3166 www.redbluffdodge.com 545 Adobe Rd., Red Bluff, CA 530 529-2040 1355 Vista Way, Red Bluff Complete Autobody Repair INTERCITY BODY & PAINT • Painting • Fiberglass Repair • Exotic Metals • Color Matching • Frame Repair • Spray-In Bedliners • All Auto Manufacturers • Rental Cars Available Factory Trained Specialists In: We accept all Insurance Carriers COME MEET THE CLYDESDALES! Tehama District Fairgrounds Get a photo with the Clydesdales & BBQ Dinner for a $10 donation to the Red Bluff Police Department & Tehama County Sheriffs Department K-9 Programs. Bring your camera or smart phone Tues., April 15, 5:30 pm Sponsored by Red Bluff Round-up, Foothill Dist. & C.C. BBQ & Catering K-9 DEMONSTRATIONS with Chief of Police Paul Nanfito & Sheriff Dave Hencratt Fish Frenzy Fish Frenzy Friday s Friday s Every Friday in March & April 365 S. MAIN ST, RED BLUFF 527-2720 • www.lariatbowl.com Lariat Bowl Fish & Chips Fish Tacos Fried Fish Sandwich Tuna Fish Salad Tuna Fish Sandwich Craftsmanship Service - Value (530) 840-4465 796 Antelope Blvd, Red Bluff Why rent storage? Own your own! | NEWS | RedBlUFFdAilYneWs.coM TUesdAY, APRil 15, 2014 8 A

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