COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP -- The northbound lanes of Interstate 380 reopened around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday following a deadly crash between a tour bus and a tractor trailer. The southbound lanes had reopened around 3 p.m.
Traffic was halted to a standstill in both directions on Interstate 380 after the wreck that left three people dead and several others injured.
State police said around 10 a.m. Wednesday, a tractor trailer crossed over the median from the southbound lanes and hit another tractor trailer near the Tobyhanna exit. It continued across the northbound lanes and the tour bus that was traveling north crashed into the trailer of the truck. The cab of the tractor trailer rolled off the road and into a wooded area.
According to state police, the driver of the bus, Alfredo Telemaco, 54, of New York City was killed along with two passengers on the bus.
"We walked over to the bus and I mean it was just havoc," said Alex Filarsky of Scott township. "There were people covered in blood and just mayhem everywhere, just a mess."
Other drivers ran to help the other passengers trapped on the bus.
"Yeah, I walked right up to help right away because there were people saying, 'Help me, help me. Get me out of here. Get me out of here,' but me and another guy helped a few of the people down," said Pat Jacino of Easton. "One lady specific, I remember, just gushing blood, you know, from her head and stuff. And we just helped her get out, that was it, you know."
13 passengers from the bus went to area hospitals with various injuries. Investigators say the bus was carrying tourists from Italy and was heading to Niagra Falls from New York City.
State police said the driver of the rig is Franklin Wyatt from Oklahoma. While he was seen walking around after that crash. He too was taken to the hospital to be looked at.
It`s still not known what caused him to cross into the opposite lanes, but some wonder if he just fell asleep.
"I'm human. I get tired. If I get tired, I'll pull over. I got a family, four kids, God forbid if I were to hurt somebody, you know," said Jacino.