Highway 41 crash in Madera County leaves 5 injured

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A head-on crash in the North Valley has left five people injured, including one in critical condition. It happened on Highway 41, south of Avenue 12, in Madera County around noon Saturday.

The California Highway Patrol says a Toyota Tundra traveling northbound crossed into oncoming traffic in the southbound lanes. Witnesses told officers the driver was going at least 55 miles per hour when he collided with a Toyota Corolla.

The damage was so bad it took firefighters about an hour to extricate the three victims from the car. They were all taken to the hospital by ambulance with major injuries. Both people in the truck were also hurt.

"The driver seems to be minor injuries. He's walking around. His passenger, which is his wife, she does have major injuries," said CHP Officer Omar Godinez.

A Life Flight helicopter landed on the highway to take the woman to the hospital. She was in critical condition at the time.

Investigators are still trying to figure out why her husband crossed into oncoming traffic.