5 Men Hurt in Tustin When Van Hits Tree

Five men were injured Saturday, three of them critically, when their minivan jumped the median of a major Tustin thoroughfare and smashed into a tree, authorities said.

The men, all believed to be over 50, were traveling on Tustin Ranch Road just south of Rawlings Way when the van crashed about 6:07 p.m., police and fire officials said.

Nineteen firefighters and rescuers arrived within minutes and cut into the 1989 Ford Windstar to extract the driver and front passenger.

One of the victims was airlifted to UCI Medical Center in Orange, where he was listed in critical condition, said Capt. Stephen Miller of the Orange County Fire Authority. Police said the man suffered a punctured spleen and head injuries.

Two others, also in critical condition, were rushed to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, fire officials said. The remaining two passengers were listed in moderate condition at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo.

Investigators were unsure what caused the van to crash. The van was southbound on Tustin Ranch Road when it struck a curb and lurched onto the parkway, hitting the tree.

The accident “doesn’t appear to be alcohol-related,” said Tustin Police Sgt. Tom Tarpley. “Witnesses at the scene said the vehicle was going about 50 mph, which is not dangerous for that stretch of road.”