New York Bus Crash Driver's Speed Investigated

ABC News(NEW YORK) -- The fatal bus crash that killed 14 people in New York Saturday morning may have been caused by the bus driver speeding rather than, as he told police, a tractor trailer clipping the bus. Several witnesses told authorities that the driver was barreling South on Interstate-95 at a reckless speed moments before the bus flipped on its side, skidded 100 yards, and struck a pole, which sliced the bus nearly in half.

Investigators will be examining recording devices on the bus that could provide clues to how fast the driver was traveling.

On Sunday, six people were still in critical condition at Jacobi Medical Center, including an unidentified man in his 50s, a hospital spokeswoman said. At St. Barnabas Hospital, a 75-year-old woman was taken off life support and is now breathing on her own. The condition of a 70-year-old man has also improved. Hospital spokesman Howard Matzner said the bus driver, Ophadel Williams, is in stable condition.

Williams, 40, of Brooklyn was driving 32 passengers back to New York City from a weekend trip at the Connecticut casino Mohegan Sun.

Investigators said the bus company, World Wide Tours of Brooklyn, has had two accidents in which passengers were injured during the past two years. For that reason, federal investigators have been watching the company for possible violations of driver fatigue rules.

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The fatal bus crash that claimed 14 lives in New York Saturday morning now looks more likely to have been caused by its driver falling asleep rather than, as he told police, a tractor trailer hitting the bus from behind and triggering the chain reaction that caused the bus to flip and have its roof sliced off by a heavy sign support, officials said.

The driver of the tractor trailer that the driver said struck his tour bus told officials that the bus flew by him. It hit lane warning bumps and continued to swerve until it flipped, sources said. There was no evidence, officials said, of the truck having hit the bus.

The accident happened at about 5:30 a.m. on the New England Thruway at the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Bronx. The bus was heading southbound when it flipped on its side. It then skidded into the support post for a large highway sign. The post sliced through the length of the bus at the passenger seat level, officials said.

The mayor said that the New York State Police is leading the investigation into the accident, and that city agencies have set up a Family Assistance Center to provide family members with information regarding their loved ones.

A total of 32 people were on board.

According to New York City Fire Department officials, five people were critically injured, two others suffered serious injuries and 11 suffered minor injuries.

Two nearby hospitals were used to treat the patients.

The bus was en route from Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut to lower Manhattan where it was ultimately bound for Chinatown.