3 People Injured in Crash Near Ventura High School

Police are investigating a two-car collision that sent three people to the hospital Sunday night with minor and moderate injuries, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 6:25 p.m. at Main and Catalina streets near Ventura High School, and involved a Dodge Shadow driven by Rudy Rocha, 20, of Ventura, and a Volvo sedan with seven occupants.

Rocha said he and a passenger were heading west on Main Street when the Volvo turned left in front of him. “It just came out from nowhere,” Rocha said.

Witnesses said the Dodge hit the front passenger side of the Volvo, which spun around and came to rest straddling the double yellow line in front of Pete’s Breakfast House restaurant in the 2000 block of Main Street.

Rocha’s car ended up alongside the curb on the westbound side of Main. A deflated air bag hung from the center of the steering wheel. “The air bag saved me,” Rocha said.

Neither Rocha nor his passenger were seriously injured.

The female driver of the Volvo was taken to Ventura County Medical Center with moderate injuries, fire officials said. A female adult passenger was taken to the medical center with minor injuries. Authorities did not release the names of the Volvo’s occupants.

Five juveniles were also in the car, including the driver’s teenage daughter who was taken to the medical center with minor injuries, authorities said. The other children--two boys and two girls--were shaken up but not injured.

Investigators expected to make at least one arrest Sunday night, but did not give details.