Family barely notices VIA bus hitting West side home

Woman, 92-year-old grandmother escape injury

SAN ANTONIO – A VIA Metropolitan Transit bus that slammed into a West side home after a chain-reaction crash nearly went unnoticed by the people who live there.

Elvia Ramos was attending to the needs of her 92-year-old grandmother, Carolina Saiz, around 6:30 a.m. Thursday, when she heard what sounded like a crash.

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However, it didn't fully get her attention until she noticed a strong odor filling their home in the 2600 block of Ceralvo Street.

"I just went into my room to check and I could smell the gas," Ramos said. "I told my grandmother who was in the kitchen that we needed to leave the house." 

San Antonio police said the crash caused a gas leak at their home and a vacant house next door. Police said it was the result of a chain-reaction crash.

Police said a red Nissan Altima hit the bus and then the bus hit an oncoming sport utility vehicle before slamming into the home.

The drivers of the private vehicles were the only ones hurt and only suffered minor injuries, police said.

The bus, at the time, was carrying only one passenger, who went to a hospital to be examined as a precaution.

A spokesman with VIA transit said the bus driver was not injured.

Ramos' home took a damaging blow, although she didn't realize the extent of it at first.

"The inside doesn't look like it's damaged very much except for that corner," Ramos said.

Later, after a tow truck removed the bus, pieces of the roof, siding and drywall could be seen hanging limply.

The vacant house next door also appeared to have a huge chunk missing from its wall.

Inspectors with the city of San Antonio arrived to assess the damage and determine whether the homes should be considered dangerous.

The driver of the Nissan Altima, Candy Barilla, was cited at the hospital for no liability insurance and an expired driver license.