IN BRIEF

LUDLOW, Calif.

Authorities identify victim of bus crash

A woman killed Saturday when a charter bus overturned on a Mojave Desert freeway was identified as Faith Creer, 31, of Los Angeles.

The bus was heading to Laughlin when it crashed about three miles east of the town of Ludlow, about 115 miles southwest of Las Vegas, San Bernardino County Fire Department spokeswoman Tracey Martinez said.

There were no other vehicles involved. Twenty-two others, all adults, were injured when the bus veered from Interstate 40 onto a dirt median, toppled on its side and skidded 100 feet.

Eight people were severely injured and 14 had minor to moderate injuries. The driver was among the injured.

Authorities shut down the interstate's eastbound lanes for several hours. Helicopters and ambulances, some from nearby military bases, took the injured to hospitals.

Investigators were studying skid marks and hoped to talk to the driver to determine the cause of the crash.

The bus is owned by Royal American Tours & Charter of Glendale. It was not immediately clear what group had chartered the bus, and a man who answered the phone at Royal American's office said he did not have any details about the trip or the crash. The bus had picked up its passengers at a mall in Culver City.

LOS ANGELES

Zoo visitors warned of orangutan escape

An orangutan tried to escape from his enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo, forcing about 3,000 visitors to head for the exit.

Bruno, a 29-year-old orangutan, punched a hole Saturday through the mesh around his habitat. He was free for about 20 minutes until a handler saw him in a holding area behind the cage, officials said. Keepers sedated him.

Bruno never made it into the zoo's public area, but officials asked visitors to move toward the exit.

"He was calm and responded well to the staff," said Gina Dart, a zoo spokeswoman.