Little Change in Pugeda’s Condition : Racing: Oxnard driver in a coma a week after accident in Baja 500.

An Oxnard man remains in critical condition a week after he suffered head and internal injuries while competing in the Baja 500, an off-road race in Mexico.

Dino Pugeda is in a coma and on a respirator at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, a spokesman for his racing team said.

Pugeda and partner John Swift were leading the June 3 race when they rolled their Ford Ranger at mile-marker 64 just as they approached a high-speed portion of the course.

Race officials are not sure what caused the vehicle to roll. The Swift family declined comment.

Several fans who witnessed the accident rushed to assist the injured men. Witnesses estimated Pugeda and Swift were traveling about 100 m.p.h. when the accident occurred.

Rescue crew members had to cut through the roll cage in order to get to Pugeda.

Pugeda, the team’s mechanic, was taken by helicopter to an Ensenada hospital and later transferred to the San Diego hospital.

Doctors said Pugeda’s condition has improved slightly, but the full extent of his injuries will not be known until he regains consciousness.

Swift, driver and owner of the vehicle, suffered a broken arm and a mild concussion. He was transferred to the hospital in a Ensenada and released later the same day.

The Baja 500 is an off-road race over desert terrain.

This year’s race was particularly tragic.

In the motorcycle portion of the race, Danny Hamel of Irvine was killed when a car strayed onto the course and made a left turn in front of him.

Hamel, 23, died on impact.