CINCINNATI -- It's difficult to imagine what went through the minds of the passengers aboard a Greyhound bus that went off Interstate 75 and overturned into a cornfield in Liberty Township early Saturday morning.
Terror, fear, anger were all common sentiments expressed by passengers after driver Dwayne Garrett suddenly slumped over the wheel on I-75 near the Butler Regional Highway and the travel couch -- and the situation -- went out of control.
Given the fact the accident occurred at 4 a.m., there was also plenty of confusion.
Physical suffering continues to linger in the bodies of the 34 passengers who were transported to local hospitals due to injuries they sustained during the accident. There was also plenty of emotional pain experienced by travelers who were forced to get aboard another bus just hours after the near-fatal accident to continue their journeys.
The reactions to the accident by the 51 passengers on board the bus are as varied as their reasons for purchasing their tickets in the first place.
Joya Owens, who said she drifted off to sleep just prior to the accident, was traveling home to Detroit. William Brown, another Detroit native, was finally headed home after six months on the road.
Owens, who suffered a bruised shoulder and ribs in the crash, complimented the men on board the bus for their display of chivalry in the midst of crisis.
"The gentlemen on the bus were very kind to help the ladies first and help the children get out," she said, alluding the actions of people like Brown and Ernest Perry.
For Perry, the accident added very real injury to an already difficult situation. The grieving Alabama man was traveling north to be with loved ones and attend a funeral.
While all the travelers were on board the bus for different reasons, they will be forever linked by Saturday's unforgettable road trip.
You can watch 9 On Your Side reporter Scott Wegener's interviews with the passengers in the media player above or at the following link: www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/liberty-township-greyhound-wreck-9-on-your-side-speaks-with-passengers-about-experience
