Bus crashes in West Memphis after driver suffers seizure

Nearly a dozen passengers transported to local hospital with minor injuries

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

A chaotic scene unfolded on Interstate 40 Thursday morning as a Greyhound bus crashed into a guardrail, with passengers exiting through emergency windows. Fortunately, the incident only resulted in minor injuries for most onboard.

The West Memphis Fire Department quickly responded to the scene after receiving reports of multiple injuries and provided medical care to 35 passengers. Eleven people, including the driver who had suffered a medical emergency while driving, were transported to nearby hospitals for evaluation of their minor injuries.

“If it was going to happen, thank goodness it happened before the bridge. Could you imagine? In that way, they were lucky,” said a member of the fire department after the incident.

Passengers who were unharmed were given temporary shelter at the Eugene Woods Civic Center in West Memphis, with transportation later arranged to Memphis for additional Greyhound service. The driver, who was observed as fatigued earlier in the morning, remained alert and stable with major injuries.

“WMFD and partner public safety agencies provided traffic control, triaging of passengers, and medical care at the scene.” said Nick Coulter, Director of Communications for the city in a press release and that a total of 35 people were treated at the scene by EMS personnel. Ultimately nearly a dozen were deemed in need

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Passengers wait to be transported to the Eugene Woods Civic center where the received temporary shelter.

Photo courtesy of the City of West Memphis BUS

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of further medical attention. There were no rescue needs or _re hazards associated with the incident.

MATA provided _nal transportation to Memphis for additional Greyhound service. Partner agencies involved in the response included West Memphis Police, Crittenden EMS, Arkansas State and Highway Police, Crittenden County Sheriff’s Of_ce, West Memphis Utilities, West Memphis Maintenance, and B& D Towing.

Mayor Marco McClendon says he expects the driver to make a full recovery.