Bus driver hailed hero after horror crash
The driver of a bus involved in a fatal crash near Dubbo has been hailed a hero by police for her evasive action which saved the lives of passengers on her bus.
On Saturday morning, police responded to a domestic dispute outside of Dubbo about 8.45am, which ended in a police pursuit with one man dying and others injured.
Police where on their way to a domestic dispute when they identified a Mazda being driven by a person involved in the dispute.
Officers attempted to pull the car over about 9am, but the driver refused to stop so police engaged in a pursuit which lasted only a matter of minutes before they decided to terminate.
A NSW Police spokesperson said the vehicle was being driven dangerously, accelerating, breaking and going onto the wrong side of the road.
“This caused the police significant concern … so they made a decision to terminate but they were still making attempts to try and stop that vehicle,” the officer said.
The driver took off at speed to the wrong side of the road and into the path of a bus that was going in the opposite direction.
“A 54-year-old woman who was driving the bus took evasive action and probably saved the lives … of the passengers on the bus,” a police spokesperson said.
“Seven passengers plus the driver were injured and were taken to Dubbo Hospital where they are currently being treated.
“We are lucky that nobody else was injured or seriously injured.”
Police said the injured passengers were being treated for minor injuries that were not life threatening and they were expecting them to be released later today.
The Critical Incident Investigation team are on their way to the crash site to assist officers from Chifley Police District who are on the scene investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
“Unfortunately, the man driving the vehicle has lost his life as a result of the crash, it is yet to be determined but we believe he is a man aged in his 30s from Western NSW,” a police spokesperson said.
“The investigation will focus on the entire incident from go to woah as to what the police were responding to, the manner of driving and the actions of police that led to a fatal crash.
An NSW Ambulance spokesperson said 26 patients, aged between 10 and 80, were assessed by paramedics.
Eight people were taken to Dubbo Base Hospital by ambulance.
The spokesperson said they were all in a stable condition.
A police spokesman said officers from Orana Mid Western Police District were patrolling the Mitchell Highway, when they attempted to stop the Mazda sedan.
A critical incident team from Chifley Police District will investigate all circumstances surrounding the crash.
The investigation will be subject to an independent review, and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
