Five injured in Yuba County accident

Five people were injured Wednesday afternoon in a one-car accident on Highway 70 near the Erle Road overcrossing.

According to Jodie Beck of the Yuba-Sutter California Highway Patrol office, the five people, all from Sacramento or Oroville, were in a 1996 Honda Civic going north on 70 when the car went off the freeway on the east side.

After passing under Erle Road, the car, driven by Lao Vang, 33, of Sacramento, ran into a eucalyptus tree. According to a CHP press release, a 16-year-old minor and Be Her, 18, both from Sacramento, were taken by ambulance to Sutter Roseville Medical Center, while Vang; Kristin Valadez, 28, of Oroville; and a 15-year-old minor from Oroville went by ambulance to Rideout Memorial Hospital in Marysville.

The 16-year-old minor was in critical condition in the Sutter hospital's trauma unit with undisclosed injuries, while Her had scratches and bruises. Vang had pain in his leg and collarbone, Valadez had stomach pain and bruises, and the 15-year-old minor had bruises and pain.

Beck said some of the injuries as serious.

It was also not clear if all the car's occupants were using safety equipment; Beck said it appeared one seat belt was cut and another one sheared off. A CHP press release indicated Vang and Valadez were wearing seat belts, but it wasn't clear if the other three were.

Alyne Harbour, a Marysville resident who stopped at the accident shortly after it happened at about 4:25 p.m., said a woman may have had a concussion.

"I was keeping her talking," said Harbour, whose car was blocked in while fire engines and CHP cruisers were parked at the accident. "I had to keep her awake. The whole dashboard had come in."

Much of the front end of the car was crushed by hitting the tree. "It's bad. It's really bad," Harbour said. "It's why I don't like little cars."

Beck said the investigation would be ongoing. "We have no witnesses, no speeds prior to," she said at the scene. On the section of Highway 70 where the accident happened, the speed limit is 65 mph.

Drugs or alcohol have not been ruled out as possible factors, according to the press release.

The accident also closed one northern lane for about 45 minutes as well as the on ramp from Lindhurst Road for about a half an hour.

Anyone with more information is asked to call the CHP at 674-5141.

CONTACT Ben van der Meer at bvandermeer@appeal-democrat.com or 749-4786. Find him on Facebook at /ADbvandermeer or on Twitter at @ADbvandermeer.