Four Hospitalized in Ortega Highway Head-On Crash

A two-vehicle, head-on collision on Ortega Highway near Lake Elsinore this weekend injured four people– at least one of them seriously, officials said Monday.

The crash between a car and pickup truck was reported at 5:33 p.m. Sunday about one mile west of Ortega Oaks Candy Store, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A CHP report indicates that three men from Camp Pendleton were headed west in a 2014 Dodge Dart, when the driver crossed over the double yellow lines while one a curved part of the highway– hitting a second vehicle head-on in the eastbound lane.

All four people involved in the crash were taken to local hospitals, with the driver of the Dodge suffering the most severe injuries including spinal and internal wounds, according to the CHP. The other three people had injuries described as moderate.

Eastbound lanes of Ortega Highway -- also known as state Route 74 -- were closed following the crash, according to the CHP.

(Image via Shutterstock)