Coach USA Bus Crashes Into Bank In Orange, NJ
ORANGE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - Three people were injured -- one critically -- after a bus crashed into a bank in Orange, New Jersey, police said.
A Coach USA ONE bus, serving Orange, Newark, and Elizabeth, crashed into a Bank of America building on Main Street at around 3 p.m. Wednesday. The bus had been headed to Newark, ONE Bus said.
Witnesses told CBS2's Tracee Carrasco they saw one man standing on the sidewalk who was hit by the bus right before it crashed into the building. He was taken away by ambulance, Carrasco reported.
"One pedestrian was hit. He was hit pretty bad and never moved," said witness Robert Romane. "He was on the sidewalk."
"I saw the bus making a left turn and an Altima trying to make a right turn and it hit it broadside and slammed into it and the Altima spun around," said witness Tony Jones.
Witnesses also told Carrasco the bus driver may have been trying to beat the light when the accident happened.
"Well the light was turning yellow, it was just about to go red, so I think it was pretty much the bus driver's fault," one witness said.
"He was speeding a little bit and he went out of control or something," another added.
Witness Jones was just feet away from the crash and said before the bus hit the bank it collided with a dark gray car. Pieces of the car were ripped off by the impact. Skidmarks from the bus on the road showed its path.
"I saw the bus making a left turn, and the Altima trying to make the right turn, hit it broadside, and slammed into, and the Altima spin around," Jones said.
The Altima was still in the middle of the street hours later, Carrasco reported.
Coach USA released a statement following the accident.
"Safety is our number one priority and ONE Bus is fully cooperating with the authorities with their investigation into the incident."
Witnesses said the bus was empty at the time, the bus company has yet to confirm that. Bank of America said said that there were no employees or customers injured.