Police: Bus in AZ crash had Australian tourists - CBS 5 - KPHO

UPDATE

Police: Bus in AZ crash had Australian tourists

Posted: Updated:
Friday's bus crash Friday's bus crash
PHOENIX (AP) -

A tour bus that crashed closed to the Arizona-Nevada border after the driver had a heart attack was packed with Australian tourists.

Arizona Department of Public Safety also identified the driver, who died at the scene, as 52-year-old Ronnie Sparks of Nevada.

Investigators said after Sparks suffered a heart attack his vehicle hit a ravine, tore up a small hill, then bounced and lurched over rough terrain for more than 700 feet before stopping.

DPS spokesman Bart Graves said 48 Australian tourists were on the bus. He said six suffered serious head and other injuries and were at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada.

Tony Fiorini, president of Silver State Trailways, the charter-bus company, said passengers were transported by the company back to their Las Vegas hotels.

The crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m. Friday on Highway 93 near the Nevada state line, about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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