A Ventura County firefighter suffered significant injuries after being struck by a vehicle while helping provide medical care at a traffic collision in Simi Valley at about 3 a.m. on Sept. 27, officials said.
Ryan Ayers, spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol, said the firefighter was working at a collision that involved a wrong-way driver in a SUV on Highway 118 near Tapo Canyon Road.
At about 2:20 a.m., the driver was headed east in a westbound lane and collided with a vehicle headed west on Tapo Canyon. CHP officers set up a flare pattern to divert cars away from the scene but at 2:59 a.m. a motorist drove into the flare area and hit the firefighter and a fire engine, Ayers said.
Ventura County Fire Department officials provided little
information about the extent of the injuries but described them as "significant" in a news release and said the firefighter was taken to a local trauma center.
Ayers said both the SUV driver and and the motorist who drove into the flare pattern were arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence. A third motorist who drove through the traffic cones and flares into the accident area at about 5:40 a.m. was also arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence.
In addition to the firefighter, the driver of the SUV headed east on a westbound lane was also transported to a hospital after complaining of pain, Ayers said.
This story may be updated.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com.
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This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Firefighter taken to trauma center after being struck by car in Simi
