LOS ANGELES _ The families of two people killed when a tour bus crashed Sunday as it headed back from a casino near the Salton Sea filed a wrongful-death lawsuit this week against the bus company and the estate of the bus driver, who also died in the accident.
The suit, filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against bus company USA Holiday and the estate of Teodulo Vides, claims that Vides was not driving at a safe speed and did not brake to avoid the crash. It also claims that the bus was not properly maintained.
Thirteen people were killed and 31 injured when the bus collided with a big rig on Interstate 10 near Palm Springs early Sunday morning after leaving the Red Earth Casino in Thermal.
The suit was filed on behalf of the estates and the children of Gustavo Garcia Green and Tony Mai.
Relatives of Vides did not return calls seeking comment. Vides owned USA Holiday, which he operated out of his home.
David E. Harris, one of two attorneys representing the families of Green and Mai, said the men's relatives are devastated and want answers about the crash.
"It's nothing you would expect getting on the bus to go visit a casino," he said.
The National Transportation Safety Board this week said the bus did not comply with vehicle safety standards because two of its eight tires did not have sufficient tread.
As a federal investigation into the crash continues, the families' attorneys are simultaneously conducting an independent investigation and have talked to witnesses.
Harris said the men's families want to push for increased safety.
"It's really an industry that I think is poorly regulated," he said. "Everything we have seen here appears it's not. It's scary to think ... people go and buy a bus ticket and think everything is going to be OK."
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Times staff writer Esmeralda Bermudez contributed to this report.
