Greyhound Bus Crashes in Tenn. - [Full Story]

AP | Wednesday, October 3, 2001

[JohnHuang2]

MANCHESTER, Tenn. (AP) - A Greyhound bus crashed Wednesday, killing four of the 37 people aboard and prompting Greyhound to halt all service nationwide as a precaution, a company spokeswoman said.

The bus crashed after a passenger slit the driver's throat, another passenger told a Nashville television station. Authorities could not immediately be reached for confirmation.

The bus, No. 1115, was en route from Nashville to Atlanta when it crashed, Greyhound spokeswoman Kristin Parsley said. WTVF-TV of Nashville reported that the crash came near Manchester, 50 miles southeast of Nashville on Interstate 24.

Speaking by cellular phone from the crash site, passenger Carly Rinearson told WTVF that a man who looked to be 30 to 35 years old kept approaching her front seat in the bus and asking what time it was. The man then asked if he could have her seat, Rinearson said. She refused.

Afterward, ``he just went up to the bus driver and, like, slit his throat and the driver turned the wheel and the bus tipped over,'' Rinearson said.

Parsley, the Greyhound spokeswoman, said 37 people were on board.

The Dallas-based company stopped all service as a precautionary measure after the crash, she said. About 1,900 of its 2,300 buses had been on the road when the crash occurred, she said.

She said buses already en route were allowed to continue to their destinations.

She said she could not confirm anything about the reported slashing.

Greyhound has set up a toll-free phone number for relatives seeking information about passengers 800-884-2744.

[freefly]

Anyone hear a reason for halting bus service?
Tragic as this is, it's not quite the same as the WTC atrocity.
Cynicism would say that the "loss of revenue" would
be an excuse for a layoff of bus employees...
But, not being a cynic, I am expecting a better reason.

[leadpenny]

She said buses already en route were allowed to continue to their destinations.

That means they did not suspend all operations. Some of those buses could still be enroute.

[AppyPappy]

Asking for the time may have meant there were other simultaneous attacks planned.

[TKEman]

Kinda jumping the gun, aren't we? Halting service? Any idea what the ethnic origin of this guy is?

[JohnHuang2]

Asking for the time may have meant there were other simultaneous attacks planned.

The first thought that occurred to me when I read that...

[JohnHuang2]

Chilling....

[NorthGA]

I24 is completely closed - both lanes. This is near Arnold Air Force base, a very important wind tunnel facility. Halfway between Chattanooga and Nashville. Vanderbilt hospital is reporting 10 dead so far.

[WyldKard]

Any idea what the ethnic origin of this guy is?

Thats what *I* wanna know. Despite the fact that the woman lived and has already been interviewed, they just arent' saying..she obviously must know!

[Rudder]

We know his approximate age now, but that's not important. Any reporter wiith half a brain would have asked something about the man's identity, such as whether he spoke with a foreign accent, etc., etc.

I guess those obvious questions and the answers to them are deemed too offensive.

[michaelt]

Come on, can we take any chances at this time? Do you think Greyhound wants to shut down?

The FBI is involved in this case - again, we don't know if this has any connection with 9/11 but we have to check it out.

[syriacus]

a man who looked to be 30 to 35 years old kept approaching her front seat in the bus and asking what time it was.

Strange. A watch can be bought for under $10.00 if knowing the time is so important.

[freedomlover]

Re the watch - I think he was just kooky and needed an excuse to pace around the bus.

[Lion's Cub]

Why hasn't anyone reported what happened to the perp? Is he dead? Did he flee? Was he arrested?

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Channel 2 Warren Savage "..."an amonia leak at the U S Court of Appeals has forced an evacuation.." More details as they develop. May be nothing, but then again, who knows?

[Carlucci]

DOT reporting 10 dead, the throat-slitter is AMONG the dead. Bus driver may still be alive. Also say there is "no pattern", meaning they don't feel it is part of a coordinated attack.

All this from CNN. (I know, but it is the only feed I can get at work)

[ez2muz]

It's a terrible feeling to hope in your heart that this was "just" a whacko and not an extremist.

[Jaidyn]

Since when does a terrorist have to be from the mideast? We have our own share of martyr wannabes and sympathizers.

[Blood of Tyrants]

One passenger is saying that he was "a terrorist looking guy" and acted very nervous. Officials at the scene are now saying that they are not sure why the bus crashed. Six are now confirmed dead and the bus drive is NOT dead but in surgery.

[rmvh]

Probably another Islamic lunatic.

Islamics in the U.S. represent less than a half of a percent of total...and a part of the Islamic world has announced that it wants to kill us all.

Unfortunately, those who are "friendly" can't be separated from the killers.

Perhaps extensive background checks on each and every one of them who are not native born during this period of "war" would be helpful. Selection of immigrants to be examined would be based on country of origin. Holographic identity cards would be issued to be issued to those who pass. Deportation would be the result for those who flunk.

Yes, it would run counter to our culture and the ACLU and many others would scream...but it might work. Americans are confused and afraid now.

Similar methods were applied in 1941 on a far less motivated group on the basis that security of the nation preceeded civlian rights when on a wartime footing.

I have never heard of any other religious movement, group, or entity here in America containing individuals with ideological links to those who are happy to die in order to kill as many American civilians as is possible.