Bus rolls over after scuffle between passenger, driver

PHOENIX -- A Greyhound passenger angry that he wasn't allowed to smoke scuffled with the driver while the bus was traveling 70 mph, causing it to crash. The wreck injured 33 people, one critically. No other vehicles were involved.

Charles George of Phoenix, was taken into custody and charged with 37 counts of aggravated assault, said Steve Volden, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety. George, about 40, was unarmed, Volden said.

"We believe there was some mental instability we were dealing with," Volden said. "It appears he was acting independently."

The bus was on a cross-country route from Los Angeles to Miami. The struggle occurred around 1 a.m. about 50 miles south of Phoenix.

The passenger was smoking a cigarette and became upset when two off-duty bus drivers riding in the rear of the vehicle told him that he couldn't smoke, Volden said.