10 Killed After Truck Hits Students’ Bus in California

Updated 2:01 p.m. ET Friday

A fatal collision on a northern California highway Thursday afternoon left at least 10 people dead, including a number of high school students who were traveling on a bus to a local university.

Officials have confirmed that the bus, a FedEx truck and a Nissan Altima were involved in the deadly collision at about 5:30 p.m. local time near Orland, Calif., about 100 miles north of Sacramento. The FedEx semi-truck was heading southbound when it crossed the median for unknown reasons and crashed head-on into the charter bus full of students, according to local broadcaster KRCR. Officials said early Friday that the driver of the truck was among those killed.

According to a first responder who arrived at the scene, about 36 or 37 people received injuries ranging from severe to minor burns, broken bones and lacerations, the AP reports.

FedEx representatives confirmed that they were cooperating with officials in the ongoing investigation into the accident. Investigators are still unclear why the FedEx truck swerved before the crash, the Associated Press reports.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the tragic accident on I-5 in California,” FedEx spokeswoman Bonnie Kourvelas said in a statement Thursday night.

“We are cooperating fully with authorities as they investigate.”

The students on the bus were reportedly high schoolers from Los Angeles traveling to a spring-preview event at Humboldt State University, scheduled for Thursday evening. The bus was one of two vehicles charted by the university to transport students to the open-house event. As news broke of the deadly accident, the university’s president offered his condolences to the families of the prospective students.

“Humboldt State University is deeply saddened by a tragic accident that occurred earlier this evening involving a charter bus filled with prospective students. They were on their way to visit campus for the April 11 Spring Preview event,” Humboldt State University President Rollin Richmond said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to those who have been affected, and we are here to support them, and their families, in any way possible.”