Woman killed in South Bay after falling off party bus

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- A 25-year-old is dead and a 20-year-old is injured after a bizarre accident on board a party bus in the South Bay overnight. It happened on Highway 17 in Los Gatos between Lark Avenue and Highway 9.

CHP rushed to Highway 17 south, just before midnight after getting a frantic call from a party bus driver who reported two women on board had gotten into a fight.

"The door of the bus opened and both of the female passengers fell out of the bus, one got run over by the bus," said CHP Ofc. D.J. Sarabia.

Natasha Noland, 25, died immediately. The other woman involved is a 20-year-old from Felton. She survived.

The bus is now in a yard in San Jose. Investigators say a group rented the bus and then watched a concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre. On board police found a lot of alcohol. They believe the 20-year-old and other minors were drinking.

"Was she carded when she got on the bus?... There is going to be some type of liability issues that we're just not sure of yet," said Sarabia.

It turns out party bus operators aren't required to check IDs or even limit the amount of alcohol brought on board.

State Assm. Jerry Hill introduced a bill that would hold party bus operators accountable for underage drinking on the bus.

"The purpose of this legislation would create responsibility on the part of the bus company, the bus operator, as well as a chaperone or adult over 25 years of age who would be required to be on the bus if minors are present and alcohol is being served," said Hill.

The general manager of Five Star Tours, which was not involved last night, thinks Hill is asking way too much from bus operators.

"It's difficult for him just to keep himself on road, at the same time he has to worry about others, and now giving him more responsibility such as being a security guard? That's not our job," said Tory Douglas, the Five Star Tours general manager.

Meantime, CHP investigators are checking the bus's door to figure out how and why it opened.

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santa clara county, south bay news, lisa amin gulezian

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