Passenger attacks Greyhound driver

FRESNO, Calif. -- A passenger slashed the throat of a Greyhound bus driver as the bus traveled down a California freeway, causing it to careen out of control, authorities said. Two people died and dozens were injured.\nThe bus, heading from Los Angeles to San Francisco, flipped on its side Monday evening and slid into a cotton field about 500 feet off Interstate 5 near Fresno, officials said. The bus was carrying 50 passengers.\nOfficials said the attack was not related to terrorism, and said Tuesday morning they did not know the motive of the suspect, identified as Arturo Tapia Martinez, 27, a transient from the Los Angeles area. He was booked into Fresno County Jail on two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.\n"He has told us several stories about why he did what he did," said Lt. Margaret Mims of the Fresno County Sheriff's Department. Among the factors being looked at, she said, were whether drugs, alcohol or mental problems played a role.\nAccording to witness accounts, the man rose from his seat shortly before 9 p.m., walked briskly up to the driver and attacked him. The weapon was a pair of scissors, authorities said.\n"It happened very quickly. He immediately stabbed the driver, too quickly for the passengers to take action on their own," Mims said. She said the driver "struggled, tried to defend himself and lost control of the bus."\nAuthorities caught Martinez as he tried to run away.\n"I saw a dude walk fast and pull past to the front (of the bus)," said passenger Howard Johnson, who suffered only minor injuries and later was reunited at a community center with his wife. "I'm feeling blessed."\nGreyhound Lines spokeswoman Lynn Brown said 26 passengers and the bus driver were taken to hospitals. Three people, including the driver, remained hospitalized Tuesday morning at University Medical Center in Fresno, where they were listed in fair condition. The others were treated at hospitals and released.\nAuthorities had originally said the driver was one of the two who died, but the Fresno County Sheriff's Department later corrected that.\nAlfredo Saravia, a passenger from suburban Los Angeles, said he was awakened by the attack.\n"The people in the front, when they saw they tried to stop the guy, but he already had the driver. Everything happened in seconds," said Saravia, who had injuries to his left side and a bruise on his forehead. "The bus started tumbling and went off the road and started flipping."\nAlmost exactly a year ago, on Oct. 3, 2001, a passenger on a Greyhound bus in Tennessee cut the driver's throat, causing a crash that killed seven.\nCongress has included $3.85 billion in an anti-terrorism bill passed this year to augment aviation security. It has approved $15 million for security improvements on intercity buses.\nDallas-based Greyhound, the nation's largest bus service with 20,000 daily departures, has hired a private company to screen some passengers with electric wands but has inspectors at only a portion of its terminals.