Arizona Department of Public Safety releases inspection results of Tierra Santa Charter Bus involved in the crash near Sacaton

A two vehicle fatal collision occurred westbound on Interstate 10 at milepost 174.2 near Sacaton on March 5, 2010 at 5:27 a.m.

After conducting an inspection of the Tierra Santa Charter Bus, the Arizona Department of Public Safety Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau has determined both the vehicle and drivers would have been placed out of service for the following:

• The driver would have been placed out of service for not being able to read and speak English sufficiently to converse with the general public
• Not having a prior 7 days record of duty status
• The co-driver also did not have a prior 7 days record of duty status
• The number of defective brakes is equal to or greater than 20 percent of the service brakes on the vehicle

Driver Injured: Alfonso Alvarado, 66, Sonora, Mexico

Back-up Driver: David Salazar, 24, California

Passengers Deceased

Eusebia Rios, 68

Nicanor Hernandez, 85

Hermelinda Hernandez, 54

Maria Refugio Garcia

Margarita Banuelos, 68

Margarita De Haro

Passengers Injured: Manuel De La Riva, 73, Manuel Gonzalez, 70

Lauro Vargas, 50

Maribel Vargas, 42

Jazmin Vargas, 13

Manuela Roman

Higinio Fernandez, 73

Martin Rodriquez, 44

Claudia Rodriquez, 16

Oscar Rodriquez, 11

Teresa Lira, 53

Victor Lira, 23

Luis Ramos, 34

Jazmin Porras, 25

*Sgt. Kevin Wood will have a media availability concerning the Bus Inspection between 1:00pm and 3:00pm today at 2222 W. Encanto Blvd. Suite 375

*Please note the inspection of the bus involved in the collision is concluded, however the collision investigation remains ongoing*