Jetta Driver Killed In Fiery Crash On Southland Freeway Involving Bus Carrying College Basketball Team

CHINO HILLS (CBSLA.com) — Authorities were investigating Sunday what caused a sedan and bus carrying a college basketball team to collide, causing both to burst into flames, killing one person.

A Chino Valley Fire battalion chief says the sedan, described as a Volkswagen Jetta, was driving at a high rate of speed before the crash.

Both the Jetta and the bus were traveling on the southbound lanes of the 71 Freeway near Grand Avenue in Chino Hills when the vehicle struck the bus.

The impact of the crash caused both vehicles to burst into flames.

A passerby managed to pull the driver of the Jetta before the car was consumed by fire.

Paramedics arrived and began to treat the driver, but he was declared dead at the scene. He was described as a man in his 20s.

The bus had 19 members of the San Diego Christian College basketball team on board, as well as the bus driver. No one was injured, and all managed to escape before the bus was consumed by flames.

"It's very fortunate that everyone on the bus was able to walk off and no one was injured prior to the bus being consumed by fire," said Batt. Chief Tim Stewart of the Chino Valley Fire Department.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.