California man dies after his car hits bus carrying college basketball team

CHINO HILLS, Calif., Nov. 14 (UPI) -- A fiery crash between a charter bus carrying a college basketball team and a Volkswagen Jetta resulted in one death and both vehicles going up in flames, police said.

The bus carrying the San Diego Christian College's basketball team was hit by a Volkswagen Jetta, which went up in flames that spread to the bus. Police said the man driving the Jetta died after being pulled from the burning wreckage. Nobody on the bus was injured in the crash.

The San Diego basketball team was on its way back from a game at California State University-Bakersfield just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday when the crash occurred.

"There was a bystander, another motorist was driving by and stopped," Chino Valley Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Stewart told KTLA-TV. "Pulled the driver out of the automobile before it was consumed by fire and the bus was just starting to ignite at that point."

Although the 18 players and coaches on the bus made it off the bus safely before flames spread from the Jetta to the bus, the man, 26-year-old Xujun Lu, died at the scene while being treated by paramedics.

Police say there is a good chance one or both of the vehicles were traveling at a high rate of speed; an investigation has been launched.