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American Morning

Suspect in Deadly Crash Had Croatian Passport, FBI Investigates Crash Site

Aired October 03, 2001 - 10:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to update you now on a story that was breaking right before the sun came up today. The latest in that deadly bus crash in Tennessee. Alex Cabrero with our affiliate WTVF standing by in Manchester, Tennessee with the latest at this time. Alex, what are they saying?

ALEX CABRERO: Well, Bill, what we're finding out right now is that there are 10 people that were found out are dead. More than 40 were transported to different hospitals throughout the region right here. And there's been more told about the suspect. Let me show you the scene right here.

(voice-over): That's the Greyhound bus that flipped over on the side of Interstate 24 here in Manchester -- that's about 60 miles south of Nashville. Almost a halfway point between Chattanooga and Nashville.

We're told that the suspect, from Tennessee Congressman Bob Clement, had a Croatian passport. Now we don't know if it was a stolen passport, if it was his passport, or if it was a falsified passport. The Congressman is also wondering is it terrorism or not? They're not sure of that right now, but that's something they are looking into. They say the man had an agenda. It looks very suspicious. Don't know yet the full details of this.

HEMMER: Yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah.

CABRERO: What happened was the bus was traveling eastbound on Interstate 24 here, and sometime around 4:00 Central time this morning that suspect got up and slit the throat of the driver. The bus lost control, flipped over the median here, into the other lane of I-24, and it's resting right there on its side.

The FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations are here investigating the crash -- looking into the bus, looking for clues maybe outside the bus, going through some baggage that is inside the bus. They're looking for any clues that might tell them a little bit more as to what was going on.

Now this suspect was acting a little suspicious on the bus. Passengers and witnesses say that he was -- kept asking what time was it. That's something that the FBI is looking into right now. (on camera): In the meantime, the interstate here is closed down. At least the westbound lane right here is going to be closed down for the rest of the day as the FBI looks into this to try to figure out exactly what happened here.

Now, Greyhound has shutdown their entire bus system all across America in the meantime because of this accident, just in case there's more people on board any buses in America that might try to do something like this. It's not going happen because Greyhound did shutdown all their buses.

Now, as far as the bus driver, whose throat was slit, he is in stable condition at a local hospital here and no doubt, Bill, he will be a key witness when investigators get a chance to talk to him.

HEMMER: Wow, he's still alive. You mentioned, Alex, 10 dead, the numbers throughout the morning have gone back and forth. 10 the number at this time; is that right?

CABRERO: That's what we're being told. It started at 3, went to 6, went up to 10. We're also told that everybody that was on the bus -- about 40-45 passengers -- were taken to area hospitals. We're told that six are seriously injured right now. And we are being told that 10 are dead, including the suspect.

HEMMER: And again, carrying a Croatian passport? Any more information on the suspect?

CABRERO: Not at this time. We don't have a description of him or a name. What they've told us so far, the FBI, is that he did have a Croatian passport. They don't know if it was stolen, if it was a falsified passport or if it was his passport, but he did have a Croatian passport.

HEMMER: And again, we were also told earlier today, the suspect among the dead. Has that been confirmed?

CABRERO: That has been confirmed. The suspect is one of those that died when the bus crashed here. Yes, sir, Bill.

HEMMER: Alright, Alex Cabrero, WTVF in Manchester, Tennessee updating us on what's happening there this morning. Alex, thanks to you.

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