Ronald Christy - article

CHRISTY

Posted By: Melissa Mayhew Grandt (email)
Date: 4/1/2009 at 16:10:20

West Liberty Index, West Liberty (Muscatine Co.), Iowa, 18 March 2009

West Liberty man killed in bus accident in Mexico
by Sara Sedlacek ·

A tragic accident has taken the life of a West Liberty man.

Ronald and Maggie Christy were vacationing in Mexico when a semi-truck slammed into the side of the bus in which they were riding. The semi-driver, who was under the influence of alcohol, went off the road, then over-corrected and swerved into oncoming traffic, hitting the bus.

Ronald Christy was among those pronounced dead at the scene. In total, 11 passengers were killed in the accident, 10 of whom were retired American and Canadian citizens. The bus driver was also killed. Fourteen others, including Ronald’s wife Maggie, were taken to a nearby hospital.

Maggie Christy is currently in critical condition. According to family members, Maggie went into surgery Tuesday morning. She was bleeding internally due to a ruptured spleen and liver. Family members said doctors would remove Maggie’s spleen in hopes of stopping the bleeding in her liver. Once the bleeding stops, she will be brought to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City.

It was reported that the bus was on its way from McAllen, Texas to Zacatecas in Central Mexico. The crash happened Monday afternoon, March 16, near Monterrey, on the road between Saltillo and Zacatecas, Mexico.

The driver of the truck, Julio Cesar Rodriguez Garza, 21, was injured and was driving under the influence of alcohol.