A Metropolitan Transit System driver suffered a medical emergency Tuesday and crashed the bus he was driving on state Route 163.
The 60-year-old driver later died.
The northbound Metropolitan Transit System bus veered off the freeway north of Washington Street and crashed into a guardrail at about 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The wreck left a passenger injured and all occupants of the vehicle briefly trapped until emergency crews could free them.
“Shortly after 9:02 a.m. crews responded to reports of a bus that had crashed into the right-hand shoulder on the southbound SR-163. Crews were able to access and open the bus door to access the bus driver and passengers at approximately 9:17 a.m.,” said a statement from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
Officials had said that one of those rescued was in “CPR status,” while the other was suffering from non-life-threatening trauma.
Doctors pronounced the MTS employee dead at a local hospital. Authorities withheld his name pending family notification.
It was not immediately clear what type of crisis the driver suffered before the wreck.
“The cause and sequence of events (of the crash) are under investigation by the CHP San Diego-area (office),” said public-affairs Officer Kimberly Gonzalez of the California Highway Patrol, which took charge of the scene after the rescue.
The accident left the University Avenue onramp to northbound SR-163 closed through late morning.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Updated 2:45 p.m. Aug. 5, 2025
