ANAHEIM : 2-Vehicle Crash Near School Injures 8

A 17-year-old Canyon High School senior was in critical condition and seven others were injured Thursday after a pickup truck full of students crashed with another carload of students in front of the school just before the start of classes, police said.

Police Sgt. Harold Parkison said the 17-year-old, whose name was not released, was thrown from the back of the truck and was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana with head injuries.

A second male student was also thrown from the truck and was taken to Kaiser Permanente Hospital-Orange County with moderate injuries. Six students with minor injuries were treated at the scene, 220 S. Imperial Highway. Names were not released by police.

“This is a very sad and difficult time for our school,” Principal Ralph Jameson said. “Everyone is very saddened.”

Jameson said the school’s psychologist met with friends of the victims, and dozens of students left school early to be at the hospital with the critically injured student who is active in the school’s drama program and was to graduate June 17.

“He is very highly thought of at our school, and there is a lot of concern for him,” the principal said.

The 7:50 a.m. accident occurred as the pickup truck, being driven by another 17-year-old male student, was making a left turn into the entrance of Canyon High School. As it turned, a car traveling northbound on Imperial Highway struck the car on the right side, Parkison said. “Two passengers in the back (of the truck) were ejected upon impact and landed on the adjacent grassy parkway.”

One female and three male students were riding inside the 1989 Dodge hatchback that crashed with the pickup truck.