Metro

Several people hurt in bus crash on I-95 in New Rochelle

Several gamblers, returning to New York from a Foxwoods casino visit, were hurt in a bus crash on I-95 in New Rochelle early this morning, officials said.

The driver was speeding south on the rain-slicked highway when the bus veered into the center concrete median before careening into the right-hand barrier, said a sergeant with the New York State Thruway Authority.

When rescuers arrived, injured driver Wei Chen was the only person found outside the bus, about 150 feet away, said New Rochelle Fire Chief Louis DiMeglio.

“There was a big language problem,” DeMeglio said. “We had a hard time figuring out what was going on there.”

The bus was in neutral on the right side of the road, “creeping” along at 1 mph and firefighters jumped in to cut the engine, according to DiMeglio.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Chen was ejected by force of the crash, or if he jumped off, according to the Thruway Authority.

The driver hasn’t been ticketed or charged the driver yet, pending the investigation.

Chen was the most seriously hurt of the 24 people aboard, suffering cuts on his arms and legs, officials said. Both sides of the windshield were blown out, as well as the bus’ glass door.

“He [the driver Chen] was scraped up and was bloodied up a little bit,” DeMeglio said. “They packaged him up right away.”

The crash happened near mile marker 4.8 at about 6:18 a.m.

Everyone on board was taken to nearby emergency rooms — Jacobi Medical Center, Sound Shore Medical Center and Mount Vernon Hospital — where they were treated for cuts, bruises and sore necks.

The bus is owned and operated by Star Tag in Brooklyn. Foxwoods Resort Casino lists Star Tag on its Web site as an “Asian Buses” travel option.

The Foxwoods logo is on the crashed bus, along with Chinese characters that directly translate: “Connecticut happiness big casino.”