Local Man Searches for Niece in Deadly Tour Bus Crash

Michael Guluster, of San Diego, was trying to find a niece who was on board

Hours after a deadly tour bus crash on a mountain road east of Los Angeles, family members of passengers were searching for their loved ones.

About 40 passengers were aboard the bus when it began swerving and crashed about 6:30 p.m. Sunday on Highway 38 near Mentone.

The California Highway Patrol said at least 8 and up to 10 people were killed in the crash.

Flowers and candles were brought to Loma Linda Medical Center where five victims were hospitalized.

Two of the victims at the hospital were in critical condition, two were in fair condition and another victim was in serious condition Monday morning.

Michael Guluster, of San Diego, said his 60-year-old sister-in-law, Guadalupe Olivas, was killed in the crash. He was attempting to locate a niece who was aboard the bus.

"We called all the hospitals, nobody knows about them," said Guluster.

He said many of the passengers were medical students from Tijuana, Mexico. They were returning from a skiing and snowboarding trip in Big Bear.

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center said four women had been admitted from the crash and their conditions were still being determined late Sunday.

Redlands Community Hospital said it received one person in critical condition and one with minor injuries, while two more were en route with minor injuries.

Community Hospital of San Bernardino said it had received one patient with undetermined injuries, while St. Bernadine Medical Center said it had two patients, whose injuries were being assessed.

Crash investigators plan to retrieve a passenger list from inside the bus early Monday before they confirm the identities and number of victims.

"We've been unable to go inside the bus," said California Highway Patrol Officer Mario Lopez. "Once we can do that, we can identify the individuals involved in this."

Passengers and another driver told NBC Los Angeles the bus swerved for about three minutes and the driver reported brake problems before the bus crashed into two vehicles and flipped.

Some passengers were ejected from the bus, other were extricated from the wreckage on the two-lane highway.

A Caltrans officials described the crash as the worst she has seen in 23 years working for the agency.

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