Rodeo Driver, 72, Suffers Major Injuries In Hwy 4 Crash

A woman suffered major injuries this afternoon when her car went down an embankment on state Highway 4 near Martinez, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At 12:54 p.m., CHP officers responded to a report of a crash on eastbound Highway 4 just east of McEwen Road in unincorporated Contra Costa County, CHP spokesman Officer Brandon Correia said.

The driver, later identified as a 72-year-old Rodeo resident, lost control of her 2005 Lexus sedan, which then swerved right and went down an embankment before crashing into a tree, according to Correia.

CHP crews had to extricate the woman from the vehicle.

She suffered injuries to her head and was taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. Her injuries are considered major but not life-threatening, Correia said.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, according to Correia.

The CHP is investigating what caused the woman to lose control of her car.

--Bay City News