WEBB COUNTY, Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety has identified the man who was driving an OGA Charters bus that crashed Saturday north of Laredo, killing eight people and injuring 44 others.
The driver, Porfirio Aguirre Vasquez, 29, of Pharr, Texas, was released from the hospital on Monday.
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The National Transportation Safety Board held a press conference Monday in Laredo to address the latest in its investigation into the crash.
NTSB Investigator in Charge Pete Kotowski said Highway 83 will close at 9 a.m. Tuesday to allow crews to investigate the scene safely. He said TxDOT will provide detours, and the road is expected to be closed for several hours.
The crash happened on Highway 83 in Webb County, just south of the Dimmit County line. The bus was on its way to Eagle Pass from San Juan, Texas, when Vasquez lost control and the bus rolled over. Investigators aren't sure what caused the bus to roll.
Kotowski said the posted speed limit in the area is 75 mph, and it is not yet known how fast the bus was traveling at the time of the crash.
There were 52 people on the bus, including Vasquez. Seven died at the scene and one died at a hospital.
The eight people who died are Altagarcia Torres, 61; Maria De Jesus Musquiz, 52; Dora Nelly Gonzales, 68; Frances Guerrero, 52; Marisela Lopez, 60; Adlefa Garza, 63; Jaime Navarro, 60; and Emma Rodriguez Zamudio, 81.
Kotowski said the bus, which was manufactured in 1997, had seat belts for the first four seats on the bus, as well as the driver. He said the bus's electronic control module, which documents engine operations at the time of a crash, is older and might not provide the information typically available in this type of incident. Even so, Kotowski said the NTSB will attempt to download any data it can provide.
Kotowski said the NTSB has scheduled interviews for later this week with OGA Charters and the driver. It is also scheduling interviews with passengers.
Over the last two years, the carrier has had a total of five roadside inspections, during which two buses were removed from service. At the time of the crash, OGA Charters had two buses and two drivers in operation. Kotowski said the carrier received satisfactory ratings in May 2014 and September 2010.
The National Transportation Safety Board said its investigation into the crash will take up to 14 months.
Here's what you need to know about the deadly bus crash in Laredo over the weekend.
Posted by KSAT 12 & KSAT.com on Monday, May 16, 2016