Last updated 2 months ago 
SLIDESHOW: Greyhound bus crash near Fresno kills 6
SACRAMENTO, CA - The family of the Sacramento Greyhound bus driver who died along with two passengers when the bus crashed on a highway near Fresno early Thursday said they want people to know about the James Jewitt they believe was a hero in the crash that took his life.
"Our dad was a great man and very dedicated to his job. We can't believe he's not coming home from the road," daughter Kristina Gomez said.
Gomez said her dad had a perfect driving record during his 32-year driving career and often got safety awards from Greyhound.
The CHP said Jewitt likely didn't see the SUV that had overturned in front of his bus. Jewitt and his 36 passengers slammed into a concrete center divider and clipped another vehicle shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday just outside downtown Fresno.
The bus went off the right shoulder of the highway down an 15-foot embankment, hit a tree and came to rest on a freeway off-ramp.
Investigators also believe Jewitt tried at the last moment to avoid the deadly crash.
"I think my dad was a hero. He swerved to avoid the accident and lost his life over it," said Garza.
Jewitt's family said he was a dedicated family man and devout Christian. Funeral services are pending.
Three women in the overturned SUV were also killed. Officials were investigating the cause of the initial SUV crash, including whether it was related to drunken driving.
News10/KXTV
