- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Children flown to hospital following crash; major injuries reported in second wreck
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two Saturday afternoon crashes in different parts of the county resulted in injuries, with two children flown to an out-of-county regional trauma center.
The wrecks occurred just after 12:30 p.m. near Clearlake Oaks and at about 2:10 p.m. in Lower Lake.
The first crash involved a single vehicle that overturned on Highway 20 near Swanson just east of Clearlake Oaks.
Firefighters arriving at the scene found all of the occupants out of the vehicle and one lane of traffic blocked, according to radio reports.
There were three patients with minor to moderate injuries, reports from the scene indicated. The three injured subjects all were juveniles.
The Northshore Fire battalion chief at the scene requested two air ambulances, with REACH 6 and CalStar 4 responding, landing at the nearby Clearlake Oaks Cal Fire station, according to scanner reports.
Both air ambulances would later lift off en route to UC Davis Medical Center in order to keep the two children together, according to fire officials at the scene.
Just as firefighters were clearing the scene of that wreck shortly after 2 p.m., a three-vehicle crash was reported at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 53 in Lower Lake.
Witnesses reported that a silver SUV, a black SUV and a silver sedan were involved, with one person trapped in a vehicle.
Firefighters who arrived at the scene said the northbound lane was blocked with emergency vehicles.
One medic unit was requested to transport a patient who was reported to have major injuries, according to radio traffic and an initial California Highway Patrol report.
The chief on scene also requested an air ambulance because a male patient had cardiac trauma.
However, radio reports indicated that a REACH air ambulance was not available to fly due to heat conditions.
A CalStar helicopter responded but was canceled, with a Lake County Fire Protection ambulance transporting the patient to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
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