NICE-LUCERNE CUTOFF – An early Tuesday afternoon crash on the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff left two people with major injuries.

The head-on collision occurred just minutes before 1 p.m. half a mile east of Highway 29 on the cutoff, according to a Lakeport Fire Protection District report. In all three vehicles were involved but injuries were only reported to two people.

Lake County Fire Protection Battalion Chief Willie Sapeta arriving about four minutes after the incident was dispatched and began assessing injuries, said Lakeport Fire paramedic/firefighter Brian Hajik.

Shortly afterward, Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Pat Brown arrived and assumed incident commander, Hajik noted.

Hajik said Lakeport ambulance 5013 requested one medical helicopter while en route to the crash based on information given by dispatch. When Brown got to the scene, he requested a second helicopter because there were two seriously injured patients.

When Lakeport's medic engine 5012 and ambulance 5013 arrived they were directed to a station wagon with one patient with an altered mental status and possible head injury, Hajik said.

Firefighters had to do extensive extrication with the jaws to life to remove the station wagon driver from the car. Hajik said they initiated aggressive advanced life support as they worked to remove the man, who was transported code three to Sutter Lakeside Hospital's helipad for transport by REACH to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Northshore Fire paramedics tended to a patient in the other vehicle involved. Hajik said that individual also was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital's helipad code three for transport to a trauma center.

The California Highway Patrol said major injuries resulted from the crash, but the agency did not respond to a request for further information on the crash victims made Tuesday afternoon.

Officials reported alcohol is a possible contributing factor in the crash.

Hajik said air bags were deployed, and the two crash victims appeared to have been wearing seatbelts.

One minor injury to a firefighter was reported, Hajik said.

Resources on scene, Hajik noted, included one advanced life support engine company and one ambulance from Lakeport Fire, with mutual aid provided by Northshore Fire, REACH and CHP.

Emergency responders had the scene managed and cleared in just under an hour, according to Hajik.