Three people were injured Thursday, one critically, in a two-vehicle wreck in Hemet.
The collision happened about 12:40 p.m. at the intersection of Florida Avenue and Lake Street.
According to Hemet police Lt. Eric Dickson, both of the vehicles involved — a Ford SUV and a Lincoln Town Car — were on Florida at the time of impact.
Dickson said that the driver of the SUV, identified only as a 75-year-old Hemet woman, was headed westbound, and the other motorist, a 74-year-old Hemet man, was going eastbound.
The collision occurred when the man initiated a left turn to go north on Lake, apparently failing to see the oncoming SUV, resulting in a virtual head-on crash, according to the lieutenant.
The SUV was pushed into a field, and the driver was trapped inside the mangled vehicle, requiring firefighters to extricate her.
The victim suffered major damage to her lower extremities and was unresponsive to paramedics, who summoned a Mercy Air helicopter crew to take her to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley for emergency treatment, according to reports from the scene.
The front-seat passenger of the SUV suffered moderate injuries, and the driver of the Lincoln had minor injuries. Both were taken to an inland trauma center for treatment.
Dickson said alcohol or drugs do not appear to be factors in the collision, but the investigation is ongoing.