Kansas man accused of attacking Greyhound driver in rural Utah; 6 hurt when bus veers off I-70

Man accused in Utah of kicking Greyhound driver

SALT LAKE CITY — A Greyhound bus veered off the road and through a fence in central Utah after a Kansas passenger kicked the driver in the head, police said.

Six people, including the driver, were treated for minor injuries at Sevier Valley Hospital and released. The attacker ran and was found later hiding in the rafters of a garage in Joseph. He was also treated for minor injuries.

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Nigbur said the bus was westbound on Interstate 70 late Monday night when a passenger from the third row ran to the front and attacked the driver.

The bus went off the road near Richfield, about 160 miles south of Salt Lake City, after crossing the median and oncoming eastbound traffic.

Santos Antonio Munoz-Gonzalez of Springdale, Kan., is jailed on suspicion of bus jacking, criminal trespassing and 26 counts of aggravated assault.

“We don’t have any idea about a motive,” Nigbur said. “It sounds like he wasn’t making a lot of sense. We don’t know if it’s some type of mental health issue, or a drug and alcohol issue. It’s still under investigation.”

Greyhound spokeswoman Bonnie Bastian said the bus was en route from Chicago to Los Angeles. Bastian said a school bus picked up the uninjured passengers and took them to a location where they could get on a different Greyhound bus to continue the trip.

The bus driver’s name was not released. Bastian said company officials commended the driver for his competent handling of the situation and for ensuring the safety of passengers.