Police say that they are investigating whether the driver was talking on the phone when his bus suddenly swerved.
By World Israel News Staff
An Israeli bus driver has been ordered held in custody for at least another four days, reportedly suspected of alleged negligent homicide, after the bus he was driving on Sunday night crashed into a bus stop and was partially crushed by the concrete roof of the bus stop’s shelter. Four people were killed.
Police say that they are investigating whether the 44-year-old driver was distracted when the deadly crash took place and if the reason was that he was speaking on the phone. The bus apparently suddenly swerved before the crash took place, they say.
The dead were said to range in age from in their 30s to age 70.
The bus driver was taken into police custody after he was released from a hospital on Monday morning.
The incident took place on Highway 40 near Ben Gurion International Airport, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) outside Tel Aviv.
The vehicle was so severely damaged that the rescue operation to extricate passengers took several hours, according to first responders.
The bus belonged to the Egged Cooperative and was running the route between Jerusalem and Haifa. It reportedly set out from the Israeli capital toward the northern port city at 6 p.m., travelling after nightfall.
“The cause of the accident, the swerving, and the collision with the structure will be checked by police traffic inspectors,” said Egged in a statement.