24 injured in bus crash after 'passenger high on drugs attacks driver'

At least 24 people were hurt when a bus passenger reportedly attacked the driver on a US highway.

The Greyhound bus was en route from Los Angeles to Dallas and crashed in Arizona early on Thursday morning.

Maquel Donyel Morris, 25, allegedly attacked the driver and grabbed the wheel as the bus travelled along at 1.45am.

Bart Graves, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, told ABC News. "We believe he was under the influence of narcotics. We believe he was high."

One passenger, Gregory Fort, said Morris attacked the driver and shouted: "I want to flip this bus."

A few fellow passengers reportedly stepped into help the driver and managed to stop the bus six feet from oncoming traffic, after crashing into a median.

According to Sky News, Morris and his girlfriend fled the scene, but were arrested half an hour later and were taken to the Maricopa Medical Centre in Phoenix, where he had "so many drugs in his system they had to be flushed out", said Graves.

There were 46 passengers on board, and 24 of them were transported to various local hospitals.

Three passengers were airlifted, with one who helped subdue Morris suffering fractures to the lower body.

The NY Daily News reports that passenger Gregory Fort added: "(The driver) did a tremendous job. I drive this route every week. The guy was beating him uncontrollably, hitting him in the face, head. There is nothing anyone could have done better. He deserves a merit for handling the bus the way he did."

According to a statement from Arizona Department of Public Safety, Morris is likely to face 48 counts of endangerment, 24 counts of assault and three counts of aggravated assault.

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