SAN DIEGO _ A charter bus rolled down an embankment off a rain-slicked Interstate 15 outside San Diego Saturday morning, killing three people and injuring 18 others.
The crash occurred in the southbound lanes south of state Route 76 about 10:20 a.m., according to the North County Fire Protection District.
The bus driver swerved and lost control, rolling down an embankment and landing on its roof, said California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Latulippe.
Emergency workers were sent to rescue several people trapped in the wreckage.
Three people died at the scene, with one victim still trapped inside the bus, said Fire Chief Stephen Abbott. Eighteen others were transported to hospitals, officials said. Their conditions varied. Their ages were not released.
The bus driver, a man from Whittier, suffered minor injuries and remained at the scene, Latulippe said.
Fire district spokesman John Choi said the cause of the accident was not known, but it did not appear that any other vehicle was involved. It was raining at the time of the crash, according to CHP.
It was not immediately clear where the bus was headed. The bus was carrying a total of 22 people but had a capacity to hold at least a dozen more, Abbott said. Authorities declined to identify the owner of the bus.
Units from Cal Fire, Vista Fire, Camp Pendleton and Pala assisted in the rescue, he said.
Southbound freeway traffic was expected to be slow and difficult for hours. One lane of I-15 remained closed, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Crews were working to pull the bus from the embankment and recover the body still inside.
