A crash between a big-rig and a compact car on Highway 25 at
Highway 156 Wednesday morning sent three people to the hospital
with minor injuries, and slowed commuter traffic from the usual
accident scene lookie-loos, according to the California Highway
Patrol.
Hollister – A crash between a big-rig and a compact car on Highway 25 at Highway 156 Wednesday morning sent three people to the hospital with minor injuries, and slowed commuter traffic from the usual accident scene lookie-loos, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Two Los Banos residents were flown to Stanford Medical Center with complaints of pain, while another was taken by ambulance to Hazel Hawkins Hospital after their 2002 Kia collided with a big-rig just before 7am, according to the CHP.
Los Banos resident Candido Martinez, 37, who was traveling westbound on Highway 156, turned into the path and struck the right side of a Pete Concrete Mixer that ran a red light at the intersection of Highway 25 and Highway 156, said Officer Matt Ramirez.
“It appears the big-rig may have run the red light making his turn – they’re so slow when they turn and the light was yellow,” Ramirez said. “There were no other cars and (Martinez) didn’t notice the big-rig.”
The truck driver was uninjured and was not arrested, but Martinez, who complained of pain to his neck, chest and abdomen, and his 9-year-old passenger were flown to Stanford Medical Center for observation, according to the CHP. Martinez’s female passenger, 37, was taken to Hazel Hawkins Hospital where she was treated and released, according to the CHP.
The logistics of the crash pushed both vehicles onto the side of the road and the CHP didn’t have to close the road, Ramirez said.
However, morning traffic was sluggish due to motorists slowing down to view the crash, Ramirez said.
“We have the normal lookie-loos that will rubberneck traffic,” he said. “But there was no back up or gridlock.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
