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NTSB: Tour Bus In Fatal Bronx Crash Was Going Almost 78 MPH

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A top federal transportation official said a casino tour bus involved in a crash in The Bronx that killed 15 people was barreling down the highway at up to 78 mph.

WCBS 880's Marla Diamond on the gap in safety technology between a large tour bus and your simple family minivan

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National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman disclosed the information during a U.S. Senate committee hearing in Washington on motor coach safety Wednesday.

She said a video camera on the bus' windshield "did not record the accident."

The bus crashed March 12 while returning to the city from The Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. It flipped onto one side and struck a pole, which nearly tore off the roof.

A passenger said in a $200 million lawsuit driver Ophadell Williams was asleep at the wheel.

Williams said he was well-rested and alert. His lawyer hasn't returned a message seeking comment.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)


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