At least two died and 16 others were hurt, when a Megabus from New York City collided with a pickup truck on the New Jersey Turnpike Tuesday and flipped over, according to police and Coach USA, which operates the bus.
The double-decker bus, with a driver and 22 passengers, was heading from 34th Street in New York City to Philadelphia when it collided with a Ford F-150 pickup truck on the southbound entrance ramp to the Thomas Edison Service Area in Woodbridge Township around 7 p.m., New Jersey State Police said. The circumstances remain under investigation.
The 56-year-old driver of the bus, who hails from Westville, New Jersey, was among the three seriously injured in the collision, state police said. No details on the nature of the serious injuries were immediately released. Some people were evaluated at the scene for minor issues, state police previously said. The Ford driver did not report any injuries.
Aside from the injuries, the crash resulted in the death of at least two people, state police said: Cheryl Johnson, 59, of the Bronx, was pronounced dead at the scene and Cecilia Kiyanitza, 66, of Woodbury, New Jersey, was airlifted to an area hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
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Footage from the scene was dramatic, with the bus seen on its side as people had to climb out windows or the roof hatch to escape. Firefighters were seen using jaws of life to cut into the vehicle to rescue any others who may have been inside.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
