By Shawn Wallace
The family members of bus crash victims yesterday gathered at the scene of the crash that killed 15 people on their way back to Manhattan from a Connecticut casino one week ago. Many relatives break into tears during the remembrance. The ceremony was also a Buddhist ceremony and monks led the prayers. The relatives of the victims burned incense at the spot where the bus crashed. The bus was returning from Mohegan Sun when it overturned and was divided into half by a pole.
State and federal regulators have launched tough measures against these types of tour buses after the accident. The regulators conducted several surprise inspections to prevent such incidents in future. The bus driver, Ophadell Williams, escaped unhurt in the incident. The investigators are questioning Williams. NBC New York reported that Williams driving privileges were suspended years ago after he was caught driving under a different name. Investigators said that the passengers told them that it is likely that Williams was dozing off in the moments before the crash. Several passengers got injured and are still undergoing treatment. Many passengers are on life support.
The state police and federal investigators together with the National Transportation Safety Board questioned Williams this week at the Brooklyn office of the bus company, World Wide Tours. Williams has not been charged with any crime related to the crash. Officials said that they are moving ahead with the investigation, which is still in its early stages. Williams remained unavailable to comment to the media. The officials of World Wide Tours also preferred not to comment on the matter.
