California Bus Crash That Killed Multiple Was ‘Intentional’

A horrific Northern California bus crash that killed six people earlier this year was not an accident, investigators have concluded.

Authorities now say the Jan. 14 collision between a pickup truck and a public transit bus near Corning was deliberately caused by the pickup driver, leading officials to classify the deadly incident as a murder-suicide.

The crash happened shortly after 10 a.m. on Highway 99W in Tehama County, when a Toyota Tacoma driven by 41-year-old Christina Sue Whittmore crossed the center line and slammed head-on into a Tehama Rural Area eXpress, or TRAX, bus.

The collision sparked a fire that engulfed the bus.

Whittmore died along with TRAX driver Kelly Langstaff, 50, and four passengers: Cassandra Moreno, 42; John Perry, 72; Oscar Carrillo, 41; and Trena Cain, 62.

A sixth person aboard the bus, 54-year-old passenger Joseph Rhoads, survived but suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital.

For months, investigators worked to determine why Whittmore’s pickup suddenly crossed into oncoming traffic.

The Tehama County Sheriff’s Office said this week that evidence gathered during the investigation led officials to conclude that Whittmore intentionally drove into the bus.

Authorities said an autopsy and toxicology testing found that Whittmore was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the crash.

Investigators also discovered writings associated with her that referenced suicidal thoughts, financial difficulties and illicit drug use.

Data recovered from the pickup provided another significant clue. Authorities said the vehicle showed no indication that Whittmore attempted to brake or stop before the head-on impact.

Investigators also uncovered evidence of an alarming incident just one day before the deadly crash.

Dashcam footage from Jan. 13 allegedly showed Whittmore crossing into the opposing lane on the same highway in what investigators described as an apparent attempt to collide head-on with a garbage truck.

The garbage truck driver managed to take evasive action and avoided being struck.

Following the new findings, the Tehama County Coroner’s Division said Whittmore’s manner of death would be amended to suicide. The deaths of Langstaff, Moreno, Perry, Carrillo and Cain are being classified as homicides.

The case also underscores the devastating consequences that untreated mental-health crises and substance abuse can have not only on individuals experiencing them, but on innocent people around them.

The TRAX bus was part of Tehama County’s rural public transportation system, providing an important service to residents who may rely on transit to reach work, medical appointments and other necessities.

Federal investigators have also examined the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board previously reported that the pickup crossed the center line of the two-lane highway before striking the bus. Investigators found that the transit bus had undergone scheduled inspections and maintenance shortly before the collision.

The NTSB investigation remains open, with the agency expected to eventually issue a final report addressing the circumstances of the crash and any potential transportation-safety lessons.

What initially appeared to be a devastating traffic accident has therefore become something far more disturbing: authorities believe five people aboard a public bus died because another driver deliberately placed her vehicle in their path.

For the victims’ families and the Northern California community affected by the tragedy, the findings provide an answer to how the crash happened — even if they cannot undo its enormous human cost.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental-health crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is available 24 hours a day.