ROXBURY TOWNSHIP, N.J. – An accident involving two tour buses in northwest New Jersey sent two dozen people to the hospital on Friday, though only minor injuries were reported.
The crash happened along Interstate 80 in the westbound lanes in Roxbury Township — about 40 miles west of the George Washington bridge — about 10 a.m. Friday.
According to state police, one of the buses was braking for traffic and changed lanes, hitting the right rear of a second bus. That sent the second bus into the median, which quickly dipped down about 50 feet, and the bus turned over on its side, said Sgt. Robert Billings.
Nearly 100 people were onboard the two buses, Billings said, adding that 24 people suffered minor injuries and two had moderate injuries.
The majority of the injuries happened to people onboard the bus that overturned, which is owned by Atlantic Express and had been chartered by Paradise Tours.
Carolyn Daly, a spokeswoman for Atlantic Express, said the bus was transporting between 40 and 50 Chinese tourists from Manhattan's Chinatown to Niagara Falls, N.Y. Daly said Atlantic Express had sent another bus to the scene to pickup the tourists and would interview the bus's driver, who Daly said sustained serious back injuries.
It was unclear who was operating the other bus.
Only one westbound lane was open Friday afternoon as police continued to investigate the cause of the crash, but authorities hoped to have all lanes open by the evening rush hour.
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