Accident sends two women to hospital

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Two women were sent to the hospital Saturday afternoon

after a compact car was crushed in the middle of a four-car accident on

the San Diego Freeway.

At about 2:40 p.m. the cars collided on the southbound side of the

freeway near the Fairview exit, with a small Toyota Corolla taking the

worst of the damage.

The women in the Corolla were transported to Western Medical Center,

said Costa Mesa Battalion Chief Keith Fujimoto. Their names were not

released by press time.

The 22-year-old woman was complaining of abdominal pain and the

25-year-old of severe back pain, said Costa Mesa Fire Capt. Doug Wilson.

None of the injuries was critical, Wilson added.

The back of the small car was destroyed, as the collision brought the

rear bumper right into the back seat, Wilson said.

“It was a good thing there was nobody sitting back there,” he said.

Four lanes of the freeway were shut down for almost an hour, and at

one point, the entire thoroughfare was closed to rescue one of the women

who was trapped in the car. Six units responded to the crash and had it

cleared by 3:30 p.m.

Officials say they do not know yet what caused the accident.

Others involved suffered minor injuries and were transported to Hoag

Hospital, Wilson said.