The Region : Brakes Studied on Truck in Bus Crash

Investigators have discovered faulty brakes on a U.S. Postal Service truck that ran a stop sign and struck a city bus Friday, injuring 46 people. Los Angeles Police officer Doug Iverson said investigators have not determined whether the brake problem existed before the crash, which occurred while the bus was traveling between downtown and California State University, Dominguez Hills. Iverson said police would continue to inspect the vehicle and would ask the city attorney’s office to issue a citation to Hiram K. Smith, the 30-year-old mail truck driver. The impact of the crash sent the Rapid Transit District bus crashing into a fire hydrant, a chain-link fence and a parked car. The injured passengers included a pregnant woman and her 3-year-old son, who was in guarded condition at White Memorial Hospital.