CA-Teens trapped,one dead, San Bernadino church bus crash

[katydid23]

Where are they coming from? The 189 isn't usually that bad of a road through that section. Initial reports where that they hit another vehicle, which sent the bus over. It is a narrow road, and it was a big bus. If they were crowding, or over, the line going around a curve, they could have hit the other vehicle which sent them out of control. Might not have had anything to do with the ice. Once your son and his friends hit the 18, they should be fine. It's usually only icy in the early morning. The 189 goes through a lot of heavily wooded areas, so the sun doesn't hit it as much. If he's coming from one of the ski resorts, he'll probably be in such heavy traffic coming down that he'll never get up enough speed to worry about.

They are staying just outside Big Bear City , near Daley Canyon Road. I don't know how far from 189 that is, but I think that is the route they take to 18. Does that sound right? The owners of the cabin told me that is their route.

Hopefully there will be a lot of traffic. LOL They said it was really crowded this weekend too. And nice weather. It is such a beautiful area. California at it;s finest imo.

 

[katydid23]

I had to cut the live feed because it was so choppy I couldn't see much.

Any new news?

Katy, I hope your son is ok.

I haven't seen anything too recent. I am in Ventura County so it is not making the news much here. I have looked for more online but haven't
seen much recent info either.

My daughter and her friends are all fine. They are still in the cabin and are going to get an early start tomorrow. They had to 'clean up' the grandparents cabin before they all left. Yikes. I am afraid to guess how much of a mess they all made.

The 18 yr old boy who is driving home has a lot of experience driving in the snow so I am sure they will be fine. Thanks for all the info you posted initially.

 

[sealevel]

The Daley Canyon road I know of is much closer to Lake Arrowhead than to Big Bear (Big Bear is about 40 minutes away). If it's the one by the 189, they should be fine if they wait until after noon. Daley Canyon gets very slippery in the morning, and they usually have to cinder it. They can take Daley Canyon straight over to the 18, or they can take the 189 (and go past where the bus crashed) to get to the 18 (but it's much longer than taking Daley Canyon). Once they get to the 18, it won't be a bad drive.

 

[i.b.nora]

I think this is the most recent update at L.A.Now

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...-in-church-bus-crash-on-snowy-embankment.html

It has a newer photo of the bus, that you can actually see.

Highway 189 is closed between Strawberry Peak and Pinecrest Road for the investigation, officials said.
Seven teenagers involved in the bus crash have been taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, authorities said. One was listed in critical condition and one was in stable condition, hospital nurses said. The condition of the other five was not immediately available.

Loma Linda Medical Center is expecting to receive victims.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Bill Peters, in an interview with KCAL-TV, called the accident a "mass casualty event" with 24 people injured.

 

[katydid23]

The Daley Canyon road I know of is much closer to Lake Arrowhead than to Big Bear (Big Bear is about 40 minutes away). If it's the one by the 189, they should be fine if they wait until after noon. Daley Canyon gets very slippery in the morning, and they usually have to cinder it. They can take Daley Canyon straight over to the 18, or they can take the 189 (and go past where the bus crashed) to get to the 18 (but it's much longer than taking Daley Canyon). Once they get to the 18, it won't be a bad drive.

Yes. They said they were 30 minutes from Big Bear and very near Lake Arrowhead. So that sounds about right.

So you think they should just take Daley Canyon? That does sound better than the other route. I know the girl whose grandparents own the cabin has been there many times so they are depending upon her for their directions. I will ask her in the morning what route she is going to take. I know the cabin is off in the woods somewhere, and not really on Daley Canyon road. That is just the closest main road that she used for reference.

Anyhow, I have faith in them so I will try and relax tonight and not obsess about it anymore. Thank you for the info.

 

[mommy23]

I haven't seen anything too recent. I am in Ventura County so it is not making the news much here. I have looked for more online but haven't
seen much recent info either.

My daughter and her friends are all fine. They are still in the cabin and are going to get an early start tomorrow. They had to 'clean up' the grandparents cabin before they all left. Yikes. I am afraid to guess how much of a mess they all made.

The 18 yr old boy who is driving home has a lot of experience driving in the snow so I am sure they will be fine. Thanks for all the info you posted initially.

I am glad they are staying another night.... We don't need to hear of another accident today:twocents:

I cannot wait for summertime, ice scares me soooo much!!!

o/t My mom got lost on our way to magic mountain years ago, lol, and ended up going up and down big bear mountain?? Is that the area we are talking about? Cause she burned her brakes going down, and we were def far from magic mountain!:floorlaugh: But I remember the roads, small, two laned, and curvy!

 

[katydid23]

I am glad they are staying another night.... We don't need to hear of another accident today:twocents:

I cannot wait for summertime, ice scares me soooo much!!!

o/t My mom got lost on our way to magic mountain years ago, lol, and ended up going up and down big bear mountain?? Is that the area we are talking about? Cause she burned her brakes going down, and we were def far from magic mountain!:floorlaugh: But I remember the roads, small, two laned, and curvy!

LOL She must have had a very poor map. The magic mountain I know of is near Visalia, which is many miles away from Big Bear. But years ago, there may have been a Magic Mountain up near Arrowhead. That is where Big Bear is, up Crestline and near Lake Arrowhead. And yes, the roads are curvy and narrow, but they have improved a lot since the old days. At one time they were very very dangerous. They have been upgraded quite a bit- thank goodness.

 

[sealevel]

Daley Canyon can be very slippery, but they'll only be on it for a mile or two. They usually cinder it in the morning (if they need to) during the morning commute. As long as they take it slow, it won't be bad. I wouldn't go first thing in the morning, though.

Big Bear is at a much higher elevation than Lake Arrowhead or Crestline, and gets colder temperatures and more snow. The traffic is very bad at the moment, because the 330 is shut down. That would be the route commuters from Running Springs (between Big Bear and Crestline) would normally take on and off the mountain. Everyone is having to use the 18 for the time being, which is really increasing the traffic load. The 18 is two lanes in each direction once you get past the Crestline Bridge heading downhill, though.

 

[mommy23]

LOL She must have had a very poor map. The magic mountain I know of is near Visalia, which is many miles away from Big Bear. But years ago, there may have been a Magic Mountain up near Arrowhead. That is where Big Bear is, up Crestline and near Lake Arrowhead. And yes, the roads are curvy and narrow, but they have improved a lot since the old days. At one time they were very very dangerous. They have been upgraded quite a bit- thank goodness.

Well, I DO NOT know my California geography at all, but she was coming from nevada, ( I think or maybe from Bakersfield) was supposed to switch to a few hwys, and went east instead of west on one of them, lmao, and went for 3 + hours before she realized she was wrong, all I remember is going up a mountain, then down a mountain.... :floorlaugh: And then getting a scary motel room to wait til morning to find our way back! It was before cell phones, and there was no place to stop and call til we were at the bottom! My dad lived in NM, and mom in OR and they would meet somewhere in the middle each summer for the switch off of us for visiting.

 

[katydid23]

Daley Canyon can be very slippery, but they'll only be on it for a mile or two. They usually cinder it in the morning (if they need to) during the morning commute. As long as they take it slow, it won't be bad. I wouldn't go first thing in the morning, though.

Big Bear is at a much higher elevation than Lake Arrowhead or Crestline, and gets colder temperatures and more snow. The traffic is very bad at the moment, because the 330 is shut down. That would be the route commuters from Running Springs (between Big Bear and Crestline) would normally take on and off the mountain. Everyone is having to use the 18 for the time being, which is really increasing the traffic load. The 18 is two lanes in each direction once you get past the Crestline Bridge heading downhill, though.

'First thing in the morning' for these kids ought to be about noon or so. So they should be fine. Thanks for the info. I am going to talk with her tomorrow just to be clearer on their route.

 

[DewSeeker]

This is local to me and all over the news here.

Last night I got on the freeway and all the cars coming off the mountain had snow all over them and all the freeway signs said you had to have chains on your cars to head into the mountains. Scary.

 

[sealevel]

It was the bus driver who died...

Coroner case #701101357 -- On 02/21/2011, at about 11:45 AM, a 1998 Blue Bird church bus was driving home from a youth retreat in Twin Peaks. The bus was southbound on Highway 189 when the driver, Won Seok Chae, a 61 year-old Korean male, resident of Los Angeles, lost control of the bus around a curve about one-half mile north of Lake Gregory....

http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/sheriff/coroner/PressRelease.asp

 

[katydid23]

Well, I DO NOT know my California geography at all, but she was coming from nevada, ( I think or maybe from Bakersfield) was supposed to switch to a few hwys, and went east instead of west on one of them, lmao, and went for 3 + hours before she realized she was wrong, all I remember is going up a mountain, then down a mountain.... :floorlaugh: And then getting a scary motel room to wait til morning to find our way back! It was before cell phones, and there was no place to stop and call til we were at the bottom! My dad lived in NM, and mom in OR and they would meet somewhere in the middle each summer for the switch off of us for visiting.

Well if she was coming from nevada or bakersfield then I can see how it could happen. She would have missed the Westbound turnoff toward Magic Mountain and kept going and been headed towards Crestline and lake Arrowhead. Sounds like a nightmare with a car full of kids wanting to go to an amusement park and ending up on a narrow scary highway instead. Aren't cell phones wonderful? I don't know what we did without them>

 

[JBean]

I was just on 189 to BlueJay last month and I went in between weather storms. My dh and son went the weekend before I did and I they were caught in a treacherous storm and were tossed around pretty good. I have made the trip up and down those mountains 100 of times to snowboard or go to the lake.Whether it is snowing with loud kids in the car or sunny and dry with only my dogs, it is not a drive to be taken lightly. 9 times out of 10 it is not the road or the weather conditions, it is a driver that does not respect the seriousness of these mountain roads;wet or dry. Dern flatlanders.

Bless these poor kids and the driver.

 

[mommy23]

It was the bus driver who died...


http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/sheriff/coroner/PressRelease.asp

I thought 2 had died? So sad all around ;(

 

[sealevel]

Just the driver died. According to the local message board/news site, he was driving the kids home from Pinecrest (one of the church camps) when he crossed the center line coming around a curve, hitting the other car and starting the accident. Doesn't sound like icy roads were a factor, although I'm sure there will be a lot more investigation.

 

[i.b.nora]

There were no seat belts in the bus.

 

[Nova]

Well if she was coming from nevada or bakersfield then I can see how it could happen. She would have missed the Westbound turnoff toward Magic Mountain and kept going and been headed towards Crestline and lake Arrowhead. Sounds like a nightmare with a car full of kids wanting to go to an amusement park and ending up on a narrow scary highway instead. Aren't cell phones wonderful? I don't know what we did without them>

Is this one of those "women drivers" jokes?

For those who don't know Southern California, Magic Mountain is a Six Flags Amusement Park in some foothills about an hour north of Los Angeles. Big Bear is a small resort on an actual mountain 2 hours east of L.A.

Magic Mountain is right off I-5. Big Bear is some distance east of I-15 and 8,000 feet up.

You're being kind, Katy. Coming from Nevada or Bakersfield, it would take more than one wrong turn to end up at Big Bear.

 

[mommy23]

Is this one of those "women drivers" jokes?

For those who don't know Southern California, Magic Mountain is a Six Flags Amusement Park in some foothills about an hour north of Los Angeles. Big Bear is a small resort on an actual mountain 2 hours east of L.A.

Magic Mountain is right off I-5. Big Bear is some distance east of I-15 and 8,000 feet up.

You're being kind, Katy. Coming from Nevada or Bakersfield, it would take more than one wrong turn to end up at Big Bear.

I don't think anything was meant as a "woman joke" It is my MOM we are talking about.... LOL but she never was good at directions, espescially in a car with 2 young girls that missed their Daddy. Maybe I am off on where we got lost? But I know she (we) ended up in or on big bear. I was just trying to get a sense of where this accident happened. I vividly remember burning the brakes coming down a scary mountain road, and being very lost. My poor Mama held it together to get us safe, and then by noon the next day, we were riding roller coasters AFTER going back over the mountain.

 

[JBean]

I saw an interview with the bus driver that was SUPPOSED to be driving. I felt so bad for him, he was really broken up. he is a professional driver and had another job at the same time. So a church member offered to drive the kids.
Even sadder.