It was a rare and enjoyable outing to a casino for Pamela Holmquist, disabled after a stroke, and her 82-year-old mother, Betty.

 But when the bus carrying them home crashed near Austin, Minn., on Wednesday afternoon, Pamela, 56, of Kasson, Minn., was dead, and her mother was in the hospital, one of 20 injured in the accident.

Also killed was Rhonda Hill, 52, a single mom from Plainview, Minn…

The Investigation / As of late Thursday afternoon, seven people remained hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic, Austin Medical Center and Albert Lea Medical Center. Helen Eubank, 80, and Prem Deep, 87, both of Rochester, were in critical condition at the Mayo Clinic and everyone else, except Erickson, was said to be in fair condition.

Pioneer Press, by Mara Gottfried, 11/20/09

Tags: Austin, bus crash, I90, Mayo Clinic Rochester