Driver in fiery bus crash didn’t have license

April 17-- Apr. 17--The driver of the vehicle that reportedly crashed into a Fort Smith transit bus didn't have a driver's license, according to authorities.

Fort Smith police cited Deshon Lee Smith, 20, of Fort Smith with not having a license after he crashed his Honda Civic into the bus before 9 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Zero Street and Jenny Lind Road, according to the crash report. The wreck left at least one person injured and caused a fire that gutted the entire bus.

The bus driver told police he was eastbound on Zero and turned left onto Jenny Lind when Smith's vehicle hit the compressed natural gas cylinder in the bus. The collision caused a fire in the engine area of the bus that spread into the passenger area. The driver and the four passengers escaped the bus, the report states.

Smith told police a Hyundai Sonata closely followed behind his vehicle before the wreck and said he had to accelerate to keep the other vehicle from running into him. He said the bus pulled out in front of him in the intersection and that he was unable to stop before he hit the side, the report states.

The fire was fully involved when Fort Smith firefighters arrived on scene, Fire Chief Phil Christensen said. He said the wreck "could have been a lot worse."

City Transportation Director Ken Savage on Thursday estimated the bus was a loss of $75,000. He said the city would have to file an insurance claim to replace it.

___

(c)2019 Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.)

Visit Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.) at www.swtimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.