THOUSAND OAKS : 1 Hospitalized After Truck Crushes Car

The driver of a car that was crushed beneath an 18-wheel truck on the Ventura Freeway in Thousand Oaks was listed in good condition Wednesday.

Yaron Nechemia, 25, of Agoura was admitted to the intensive care unit at Westlake Medical Center in Westlake Village for observation after the accident, a hospital spokesman said.

Nechemia was driving his Nissan Sentra south on the freeway, near the Live Oak underpass, about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday when a truck on his right tried to move into his lane, said Officer Jim Utter of the California Highway Patrol. Lori Nechemia, 28, and Elissa Nechemia, 16 months, also were in the Nissan, he said.

A preliminary investigation showed that Nechemia tried to avoid the truck and lost control of his car, which spun in front of the truck, Utter said.

The truck, which was driven by Jesus Arauz, 35, of North Hollywood, struck the car, Utter said. The car continued to spin out of control and lodged under the right side of the trailer, he said.

The truck veered and left the road, still dragging the car. As the truck went up an embankment, the car dislodged, Utter said. But the truck overturned and came to rest on the Nissan, crushing it and trapping the occupants, Utter said.

It took more than an hour for the Ventura County Fire Department to extricate the Nechemias from their car, he said.

Arauz suffered minor injuries. Lori Nechemia received severe facial injuries with cuts to the scalp and the child received minor cuts and scratches, Utter said.

They and Arauz were taken by ambulance to Westlake Medical Center. All except Yaron Nechemia were treated and released, hospital personnel said.

Yaron and Lori Nechemia were wearing seat belts and the child was riding in a car seat, which tipped sideways and protected her as the car was crushed, Utter said.

The investigation is continuing, he said.