Woman crashes into bus after being forced off road

Police are still trying to find the driver who forced a woman off SR-62, causing her to rear-end a Morongo Basin Transit Bus in Downtown Joshua Tree last Friday.

Authorities said Gilda Donche, of Joshua Tree, was injured in the crash but no passengers aboard the bus were hurt. Donche was traveling eastbound in the right lane on SR-62 near Sunburst Avenue when a dark colored Ford Explorer, driving in the left lane, made an unsafe lane change which forced her off the road.

The transit bus was stopped on the shoulder of the road after dropping off passengers.

The driver of the Ford Explorer drove away from the scene heading eastbound toward Twentynine Palms. Police said witnesses attempted to follow the driver but weren’t able to keep up with the speeding SUV.

Donche sustained moderate injuries and was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center.

Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact the California Highway Patrol in Joshua Tree at 760-366-3707.