1 Dead, 22 Hurt After SEPTA Bus & Car Collide

Police investigate alcohol as a possible factor in deadly wreck

One woman died and nearly two dozen people were hurt after a SEPTA bus and a car collided in the Ogontz section of the city Monday evening.

It happened around 6 p.m. at Old York Road and W Sparks Street. Police say the 31-year-old driver of a black Acura somehow lost control and went into oncoming traffic, colliding with a SEPTA Route 55 bus.

The car's passenger, Yvonne Scott, 58, of the 6500 block of N Gratz Street died in the crash. The car's driver, Scott's 31-year-old niece, was seriously injured, police said

The driver -- her name wasn't released as of late Tuesday morning -- suffered multiple broken bones and was in extremely critical condition, according to authorities.

In total, 21 of the 55 passengers on board the bus at the time of the crash suffered minor injuries that required hospitalization, police said.

Stephanie Mason heard the crash and tried to help the two women inside the car.

"I put my arm on the door and told the driver, 'just be still, somebody's coming to help," said Mason. "She just nodded her head a little bit."

"How she ended up in the opposite lane is a mystery to us all," said Warren Young who also says he heard the crash.

Investigators believe the Acura was driving the wrong way down the street. They also say they found evidence inside the car that leads them to believe the driver was impaired at the time of the crash.

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"There was a strong odor of alcohol coming from the Acura," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small. "It also had open containers of alcohol inside."

SEPTA officials reviewed surveillance cameras on the bus with plans to turn the video over to police investigators.


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