Two people were killed and 17 others were injured in the August bus crash in downtown Newark
NEWARK -- More than a month after a NJ Transit bus crash claimed the lives of two people and sent 17 others to the hospital, the agency has released surveillance footage from the crash.
The video showing the two buses collide in a T-bone crash early on Aug. 19 in downtown Newark was obtained by Eyewitness News Tuesday.
The driver of the No. 59 bus was pronounced dead at the scene. Joseph Barthelus, 70, of Union, had worked at NJ Transit for 27 years.
Jesy Garcia, 49, who was riding the No. 13 bus to work, died several hours later at University Hospital. The Newark grandmother of three was described by her family as a hard-working family woman.
Woman killed in bus crash had walked to work
Witnesses described the scene as "total chaos" just after 6 a.m., as people rushed to pull passengers from the wreckage at the intersection of Broad Street and Raymond Boulevard.
The No. 59 bus was traveling west on Raymond Boulevard when it slammed into the No. 13 bus heading north on Broad Street. The No. 59 bus had just started its route and had no passengers.
Seventeen passengers were injured in the crash, six of whom were still hospitalized a week later.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation, Chief Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly told NJ Advance Media Tuesday evening.
Calls to NJ Transit were not immediately returned.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.