A horrific New York tour bus accident in Delaware claimed the lives of two women and sent 48 more individuals to the hospital with various injuries after the vehicle rolled over on an exit ramp in New Castle. The bus, operated by Am USA Express Incorporated of New York’s Chinatown, overturned after rolling down a grassy embankment, tossing 49 passengers about the cabin like rag dolls. Dr. Rob Rosenbaum (an emergency room physician at Christiana Care) reported that some individuals suffered head injuries, broken ribs, internal injuries, and fractures.
One of the women killed was pronounced dead at the scene. 54-year old Hau’y Chen of New York City was one of the passengers ejected from the bus. She was flung through a window as the bus rolled and was pinned underneath the vehicle. She was already dead by the time recuse crews arrived-an estimated 15 minutes after the initial crash. The other woman, 30-year old Idil Bashi of Istanbul, suffered critical injuries during the crash and later died at the hospital.
The bus’s driver, 56-year old Jinli Zhao of Flushings, Queens, survived the crash and his testimony will be crucial to the final police investigation. Locals say that particular highway off ramp has a history of bad accidents and had, until recently, had a guard rail along the road’s edge.
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, injured individuals and surviving family members of the two women who were killed in this horrific crash could pursue legal action against the bus company and driver. Contributing factors that will be examined very closely include driver experience, driver fatigue, vehicle speed, driver inattention, road design and road conditions.
As tour buses grow in popularity as a more cost-efficient mode of vacationing, the number of bus accidents will increase. If you or a loved one has been injured in such a crash (either in New York or on a bus line owned or operated by a New York company) contact a New York bus accident attorney today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.