LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP, DAUPHIN COUNTY — ABC 27 in Harrisburg reports…Three people were killed and more than 40 others injured after a charter bus overturned on Interstate 81 late Sunday night in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County.
It happened around 11:45 p.m. Sunday near mile marker 74, which is between the exits for Linglestown/Paxtonia and Manada Hill.
Pennsylvania State Police say that a Honda CRV was stopped in southbound traffic in the right lane of Interstate 81. At the same time, the bus was negotiating a right curve in the right line of the highway.
State troopers say that the bus exited the north side of the roadway and entered the grassy roadside, struck an embankment, and overturned onto its right side. The right roof area struck the rear end of the Honda CRV. The bus came to a final rest on its right side along the right shoulder and grassy roadside, as the Honda CRV came to rest within the right shoulder.
The southbound lanes of I-81 were closed for several hours overnight as police worked to clear the area. The road reopened shortly before 6 a.m.
State Police have said all of the people on board were taken to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with injuries ranging from minor to critical. About eight ambulances and Life Lion helicopters assisted in getting those people to the hospital. The driver of the Honda CRV was also taken to Hershey Medical Center with suspected moderate injuries, according to State Police.
UPMC Community Osteopathic says they treated 21 patients from the crash. Two people have been admitted to the hospital and 19 were treated and released.
Once people are released from the hospital, they will be taken to the Chambers Hill Fire Company where they can be reunited with their loved ones.
Volunteers from the American Red Cross are also on-site at the Chambers Hill Fire Company, located at 6400 Chambers Hill Rd in Harrisburg, helping comfort passengers and providing refreshments and cots to rest on.
The bus trip originated in New York. Police would not say where the bus was headed, saying they wanted to make sure that the families of the victims were notified first.
The names of the three people killed have not been released.
