MORENO VALLEY: Mechanical failure on sheriff transport bus causes temporary closure of 60 freeway

MORENO VALLEY – A mechanical failure on a Riverside County Sheriff’s transportation bus caused the temporary shutdown of the Interstate 60 freeway while deputies transferred inmates from the broken-down bus to a second bus that was sent to the location to assist.

The bus broke down at about 4:00 p.m., after suffering an unspecified mechanical failure that caused it to come to a stop on the freeway, according to Deputy Mike Vasquez, press information officer for the sheriff’s department. After the bus broke down, transportation deputies operating the vehicle requested a second bus be sent to their location. For public and officer safety reasons, deputies, a K9 and it’s handler, and a supervisor from the Moreno Valley Police Department responded to the location to assist.

When the second bus arrived at about 4:15 p.m., CHP officers shut down the freeway between Nason St. and Moreno Beach Dr., to allow for the safe transfer of inmates from the first bus to the second. The transfer of inmates took approximately 10 minutes, Vasquez said. Vasquez was not able to provide details regarding how many inmates were transferred between the buses, however he confirmed the transfer occurred without incident.

The lanes of traffic were reopened following the transfer of inmates, at about 4:25 p.m. However sheriff’s personnel remained on scene while the bus was prepared to be towed from the location, according to Vasquez. Traffic was reportedly backed up, but moving slowly through the area. The bus was towed from the location at about 5:30.

 

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