LOS ANGELES A motorcoach owned by a California-based company -- that had been operating illegal line runs between the U.S. and Mexico for months -- crashed near Phoenix early this month, killing a half-dozen passengers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said Tierra Santa Inc. of Van Nuys, Calif., had applied for interstate operating authority last April and was informed then it was "not authorized to engage in the interstate transportation of passengers by commercial motor vehicle during the application review."

The agency said it officially denied Tierra Santas application on December 14, after the company failed to provide required information.

The FMCSA moved quickly following the crash to shut down the company. It ordered the company closed on the day of the crash, and then went to federal court the next day and got an emergency order halting company operations.

The FMCSA court complaint said the owner of the company, Cayetano Martinez of Los Angeles, has previously been shutdown by the agency only to attempt to "reincarnate himself as a new carrier." He "unsuccessfully attempted" to get federal authority to operate under a new name, the feds said.

"Martinez has shown a persistency and determination to continue operating under new entities and business," the FMCSA complaint says.

The FMCSA stepped up its efforts 18 months to keep outfits like Tierra Santa off the road. (See story on Page 1.)

The USDOT SafeStat database shows Tierra Santa had been cited in the past for a variety of safety violations, including operating without authority, no proof of financial responsibility, and defective equipment. Additionally, it was cited for using non-English speaking drivers.

Tierra Santa operated regular runs from cities and towns deep in central Mexico to Phoenix and a handful of cities in Southern California.

The accident occurred at 5:30 a.m. on Interstate 10, about 30 miles south of Phoenix. A spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety said Tierra Santas Dina coach was traveling west on I-10 when it rear-ended a pick-up truck. The bus rolled, triggering another crash involving an auto.

At least 15 passengers and the driver sustained injuries, many critical. The roof of the bus was partially crushed.

According to the Arizona DPS, the bus had traveled from Mexico through El Paso, Texas, where it changed drivers. It was on its way to Phoenix to change drivers again.