Natchez resident Pat Powers was killed Thursday night when the charter bus he was driving crashed on U.S. 61 North leaving Baton Rouge.

Powers, 52, was ejected from the vehicle and later pronounced dead at the scene. No passengers were on board.

A press release from the Louisiana State Police says Powers’ 2003 Prevost Charter Bus was northbound on U.S. 61 when he exited the roadway.

“The driver overcorrected and the bus began to rotate to the left,” according to the release. “While rotating, the bus began to roll onto the passenger side, slide on the passenger side across the roadway, and struck a guardrail. The bus continued to rotate as it slid on to the bridge rail where it came to rest facing east.”

The Rev. David O’Connor is a close family friend and spent time Friday with Pat’s wife, Ruth. O’Connor said Powers had just completed a 10-day trip to Florida and New Orleans and was on his way home. The last group of passengers unloaded earlier that night.

O’Connor said it appeared Powers had fallen asleep at the wheel.

The northbound lanes of the highway were closed until 5 a.m. due to the accident.

Powers was coming home to visit his son and daughter, both of whom planned to be in town this weekend, O’Connor said. Charles Powers is returning from service in the Marines where he’d been stationed overseas. Sarah Powers is home from college.

“It was looking like it was a great family reunion weekend when tragedy struck,” O’Connor said.

Powers has worked as a charter bus driver for approximately five years, O’Connor said.

“He had a great extrovert personality,” he said. “He was a great man on the job. And a great member of St. Mary’s.”

Ruth Powers, originally of Vidalia, taught at Cathedral for 15 years and currently works with the Concordia Parish Schools.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Laird’s Funeral Home.