HARRISONBURG, Va -- Virginia State Police said a tracter trailer was merging lanes when it hit the bus. Part of the truck blocked the door of the bus, forcing passengers to crawl out of the emergency windows. Seven people were sent to the hospital from that crash, but they have all been released.

Forty people were on board the bus traveling from Tennessee to New York City.

One of the passengers on that bus, told a WHSV reporter what it was like. He said it was so terrifying, that he hopes no one has to go through something like this again.

He described the first thing that ran through his mind.

"I'm going to die. Then I realized I'm not going to die, at least not immediately. Then I thought, 'Oh God, I'm going to miss work,' which I did, but it's ok."

He relives what it was like the moment the bus crashed.

“I was asleep on the bus and the first thing I experienced, I heard loud noises and rushing, and I saw metal bending. I realized that my head hurt and I wasn't in my seat anymore."

He said things were so still and so quiet afterwards, until he realized they were trapped on the bus. The passengers were stuck in it for an hour and a half.

Five passengers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, but none life threatening. The driver was the worst off.

"There was blood. The driver's head was clean open, down to the skull. I didn't see that, but I did see him being carried away."

For this passenger, getting on a bus will never be the same.

"I don't think I'll be sleeping again. I'm quite anxious."

He said he is so thankful for Harrisonburg's Rescue Squads that assisted in the accident.

He said he was traveling with a violin that managed to escape still in tune.

Dean Crawford was the man driving the tractor trailer and he is now charged with reckless driving. Crawford is from Staunton and he works for Sysco in Harrisonburg.

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