The six people killed in a fiery head-on crash in Corning last week have been identified by the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office. About 10 O’clock last Wednesday morning on Highway 99-W south of Gyle Road a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck crossed over the double-yellow center line and into the opposing lane, colliding head-on with a Tehama County Public Transportation “TRAX” bus. The bus immediately caught fire after the impact. The pickup driver, the bus driver and four of the bus passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. One passenger on the bus survived and was flown to Enloe Medical Center in Chico with major injuries. The deceased have been identified as 41-year-old Christina Whittemore, 62-year-old Trena Kain-Darrow and 41-year-old Oscar Casas-Carillo, all of Corning, along with 50-year-old Kelly Langstaff and 42-year-old Casandra Moreno, both of Red Bluff, and 72-year-old John Perry of Chico. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Tehama County Coroner with a rapid DNA system to make the identifications that otherwise would have taken months to complete. The CHP is still investigating the crash and any witnesses are urged to call the Red Bluff CHP Office at (530) 737-6746.
-Steve Gibson