Evacuee bus overturns, killing passenger

OPELOUSAS, La. – A bus shuttling hurricane victims out of New Orleans crashed Friday after one of the passengers grew agitated and ended up in a struggle with the driver, killing one person and injuring more than a dozen, a police official said.

Police Capt. Mark LeBlanc said that after the tussle, the driver lost control of the bus, sending it across a median and overturning on the other side of the highway, about 130 miles west of New Orleans.

There were about 50 passengers on board, and 17 of them were injured, police said.

All the passengers on the bus – many of whom were getting some much-needed sleep after days of sleeplessness inside the Superdome – were brought to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment.

“We have multiple critical injuries and multiple serious injuries and some minor injuries,” said Trooper Willie Williams, spokesman for the state police.

It was unclear where the storm victims were being taken.

Richard Grow, 32, of New Orleans, said he and most of the other passengers on the bus were asleep when the accident happened. He didn’t even know where the bus was traveling.

“I didn’t even think to ask, I was just happy to get out of the Superdome,” he said.