KXXV-TV News Channel 25 - Central Texas News and Weather for Waco, Temple, Killeen | UPDATE: Several people taken to the hospital after bus accident

UPDATE: Several people taken to the hospital after bus accident

by Brandon Hartman

WACO - A bus accident that took place on I-35 Thursday night and put has put 7 people in the hospital.

The accident happened around midnight near the New Road Exit on the southbound side of I-35 when an 18-wheeler driven by 39-year-old Abdirahman Abdullah-Moalim of San Diego struck the rear of a 2008 black Kia sedan.

Police say after the truck hit the small car, the truck driver reacted by sharply turning the wheel and struck the left side of an "Americanos" bus driven by 56 year old Jose Zuniga Tomayo of Laredo that was also southbound. Americanos is the Mexican division of Dallas-based Greyhound lines.

The occupants of the Kia were not injured. 

Police say there were a total of 43 passengers on the bus.  Investigating officers say contributing factors to the accident included the driver of the 18 wheeler failing to control the speed of his vehicle and driver inattentiveness.