A passenger on a Greyhound bus traveling through Arizona “went berserk” and attacked the driver early Thursday, causing the bus to swerve violently and go off the highway before other passengers subdued him.
People were thrown from their seats after the California man, who reportedly was hallucinating, screamed “Everybody’s going to die,” pummeled the driver and grabbed the steering wheel. More than half of the roughly 40 passengers were hurt, including three who were airlifted to a Phoenix hospital.
When the Dallas-bound bus finally stopped, the 25-year-old man and a female companion got off and ran into the desert, only to return about a half-hour later. Some passengers cursed and threw rocks at him before paramedics stopped them.
The bus was heading east from Los Angeles on Interstate 10 when then the attack happened shortly before 2 a.m. near the community of Tonopah, about 50 miles west of Phoenix, authorities said. The speed limit in the area is 75 mph. The bus crossed the highway median but came to a stop before entering westbound traffic when other passengers restrained the man.
The bus remained upright, and none of the 24 people taken to hospitals had life-threatening injuries. Three were airlifted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, but a hospital spokeswoman said one of them was later released. Fifteen people were taken to West Valley Hospital locations in Goodyear and Buckeye. Officials say five of those 15 ended up being admitted.
The injuries included a broken sternum suffered by one passenger who helped restrain the attacker. The Department of Public Safety identified the attacker as Maquel Donyel Morris, of Los Angeles.
