7 Injured, 2 Critically, When Van, Tractor-Trailer Collide

Seven people were injured Saturday morning when a tractor-trailer collided with a van on the Golden State Freeway south of the Kern County line, authorities said.

All six people in the van were hurt--two critically--when the driver of the truck abruptly changed lanes, striking the van’s rear bumper and forcing it into the center divider, said Officer Robert Strong, a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

The truck careened alongside the van and “opened up the van like a can opener,” Strong said. The truck came to a stop with its cab in front of the van and its trailer pinning the smaller vehicle against the divider, he said.

Guadalupe Casas, 37, of Woodlake, was taken by helicopter to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in Valencia, where she was listed in critical condition, Strong said.

Genaro Casas, 43, also of Woodlake, was airlifted to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills and later transferred to County-USC Medical Center, where she was listed in critical condition.

The driver of the van, Jose Casas, 40, and passengers Maria Casas, 40, and Alfonso Casas, 8, all of Ivanhoe, and Elana Nava, 70, of Woodlake, were treated for minor injuries at area hospitals, Strong said.

The truck driver, Lisael Ortiz, 54, of Montclair, also was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital, Strong said.

The CHP issued a SigAlert shortly after the 5:25 a.m. accident, Strong said. The warning was canceled at 8 a.m.