ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — A bus carrying gamblers from New York City’s Chinatown to this seaside casino resort crashed into two other vehicles, then smashed into a retaining wall Thursday morning. Twenty-four of the 50 people aboard were injured, including the driver, who was thrown through the windshield and then run over by the runaway vehicle.
The driver underwent surgery for a compound fracture to his left arm. He was in critical condition Thursday night.
The bus was less than two miles away from its destination, the Tropicana Casino and Resort, when it crashed.
“He went through the windshield, and at this point, we’ve got a ghost driver, with the bus continuing on without anyone at the wheel,” said Sgt. Monica McMenamin, a Police Department spokesman. “The bus continued on and drove over him.”
Police said the bus was initially unable to stop as it approached traffic stopped at a traffic light at the bottom of a curving bridge.
It was not immediately clear why the driver was unable to stop.
Front Section, Pages 5 on 06/25/2010