California Tour Bus Smash Into Trailer – 13 Killed, 31 Injured

A tour bus smashed into the back of a tractor-trailer on a Southern California highway early Sunday morning. The accident left 13 people dead and 31hurt, authorities said.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) Chief Jim Abele told reporters that the bus was moving west on Interstate 10 when the accident happened near Palm Springs, a city about 100 miles (160 km) east of Los Angeles.

Due to the bus’ velocity, the truck’s trailer drove about 15 feet into the bus. The bus driver was among the 13 killed, Abele said. He believed the 31 injured passengers had minor to moderate injuries. Some, however, could be worse, he added.

“In almost 35 years, I’ve never been to a crash where there’s been 13 confirmed deaths. So it’s tough. It’s tough for all of us,” Abele said.

Several survivors described the majority of the passengers, all of whom were adults, were sleeping when the crash occurred, Abele said. He said the bus had been checked just last April and there was no sign of mechanical problems.

Images from the incident showed the front of the tour bus jammed inside the rear of the trailer. They also showed emergency workers using metal ladders to access the inside of the bus.

Officials said the injured were being treated at hospitals. All westbound lanes of the interstate were sealed off near the crash and would likely be reopened around 4 p.m., Abele said.

Abele said the bus seemed to be transporting casino-goers back to Los Angeles from the Red Earth Casino after a night of gambling.

USA Holiday Bus, the Los Angeles-area bus company involved in the crash, could not immediately be reached for comment. The driver was one of the company’s owners, the local Desert Sun newspaper reported.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is sending an investigative team to the site to investigate the crash.

Abele said it was unclear whether the bus was speeding or if alcohol, drugs or fatigue was a factor in the crash. However, it was traveling “significantly faster” than the tractor-trailer, he added.

 

 

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Award-Winning Rapper Coolio Charged With Illegal Firearm Possession

Grammy award winner rapper Coolio was indicted for unlawful firearm possession on Thursday. The charges stemmed from a gun that prosecutors said was discovered in his backpack last month. The firearm was detected during screening at Los Angeles International Airport.

The rapper’s real name is Artis Leon Ivey. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that if convicted, Ivey could be sentenced to as much as three years in state prison.

Prosecutors said the recording star was prohibited from carrying a gun because of two prior felony convictions. He was charged for carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle in 2001. Furthermore, in 2009, the court convicted him for possession of cocaine base.

Coolio was slated to appear in Los Angeles Superior Court for an arraignment on Thursday, District Attorney spokesman Ricardo Santiago said. However, the hearing was deferred until Oct.26 after his lawyer notified the judge that the rap artist was out of state performing.

A warrant for the rappers arrest would be issued if he failed to show for the latter court date.

The recording star is best known for his 1995 Grammy Award-winning hit “Gangsta’s Paradise”. The hit song was at the top of the US chart that year and one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Loaded pistol was stolen

A stolen, loaded pistol was detected in Coolio’s backpack on the X-ray screening belt while his entourage was going past security to get on a flight on the way to a concert, LAX police who arrested the rapper said.

LAX police spokesman Rob Pedregon said another member of the entourage originally claimed ownership of the bag. Nevertheless, the evidence pointed police to Coolio. Police then accosted the recording artist, who was aboard the plane at the time.

Pedregon said Coolio admitted under questioning that the backpack and gun were his. However, little else was said after he was taken into custody.

Meanwhile, the case remains under investigation.

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Police Chief: Teenager Shot by LA Cops Had Deathwish

The death of a teenager in a police shooting in Los Angeles started protests all across the city. Authorities identified the teenager, first mistaken for an adult man, as Daniel Perez. He died of multiple gunshot wounds.

According to the authorities, Perez left a ‘farewell note’ for his family before the fatal encounter. He then called U.S emergency hot-line and reported a man with a gun matching his own description.

According to recent reports, Perez confronted the officer who arrived at the scene and pointed the fake gun at him. Prompting the officer to shoot him several times.

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said, “We believe that this officer-involved shooting was a result of his desire to end his own life,”

“We are deeply saddened by these events and my heart goes out to his family as well as to the officer involved in the shooting.”

LA spokeswoman  Norma Eisenman said that the fake gun used by Perez looks real because He painted its orange tip with black paint.

Fake guns legal

US lawmakers allow imitation firearms with the exception that they sport an orange tip to distinguish it from real guns. California lawmakers 2014, passed another bill requiring manufacturers to have more visible markings on the fake guns.

The officer involved in the fatal shoot-out of Perez had worn a body-camera that would prove his version of the encounter. The authorities however, have no intention of releasing the footage.

Perez fatal shoot out came after the encounter of another LA cop who shot dead an 18 year old black man, Carnell Snell Jr.

Both encounters led the city to protest due to the increasing numbers of fatal shootings involving black men. It also prompted a national debate on racism and excessive law enforcement.

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