11 Hurt as Passenger Van, Big Rig Crash in Moorpark
A crash between a van carrying tree trimmers and a big rig in Moorpark injured 11 people early Monday and closed the northbound lane of California 23 until midafternoon.
The van, carrying 10 people, was heading west on the highway near Fruitvale Avenue about 7:30 a.m. when it slowed to make a left turn. A double-trailer truck going about 45 mph braked but hit the rear of the van, said California Highway Patrol spokesman David Webb.
No one in the van was wearing a seat belt, and the passengers suffered cuts and bruises as they were bounced around inside the vehicle, Webb said.
“It was shocking when you got there to see so many people with injuries for a two-car accident,” he said.
Efrain Gomez, 20, of Santa Paula was admitted to Simi Valley Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
The other nine, who were not identified, were taken to Simi Valley Hospital and Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks and were treated and released, Webb said.
The driver of the truck, Guy Schneider, 34, of Van Nuys complained of back pain.
One lane of the highway was closed as local officers and CHP investigators from San Luis Obispo probed the accident scene.
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