NORTH COUNTY, Calif. _ A charter bus rolled down an embankment off a rain-slicked Interstate 15 in North County 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, carrying adults and children, had departed from the Los Angeles area and was headed to San Ysidro, said California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Latulippe.
It was raining when the bus driver swerved and lost control. The vehicle slid down an embankment and landed on its roof, said Latulippe.
Emergency crews rescued several people trapped in the wreckage.
Three people died at the scene, with one of the deceased still trapped inside the bus, said Fire Chief Stephen Abbott. Eighteen others were transported to hospitals _ Palomar Medical Center, Temecula Valley Hospital and Inland Valley Medical Center, officials said.
One of the patients was in critical condition while three others suffered major injuries, Latulippe said.
Their ages were not released.
The bus driver, a man from Whittier, suffered minor injuries and initially remained at the scene, Latulippe said. He was later taken to a station for questioning.
Fire district spokesman John Choi said it did not appear that any other vehicle was involved.
Authorities declined to identify the owner of the bus. The bus was carrying a total of 22 people but had a capacity to hold at least a dozen more, Abbott said.
Units from Cal Fire, Vista, Camp Pendleton and Pala assisted in the rescue.
Southbound freeway traffic was expected to be slow and difficult for hours. One lane of I-15 remained closed, according to CHP.
Crews were working to pull the bus from the embankment and recover the body still inside.
