A major highway came to a halt last night following a shocking incident where an air ambulance overturned and crashed, resulting in chaos and leaving three individuals with severe injuries. Responders rushed to rescue a woman trapped under the wreckage.
The helicopter, returning from a hospital after dropping off a patient, encountered an emergency situation around 7pm on Monday. Captain Justin Sylvia from the Sacramento Fire Department mentioned that the pilot, nurse, and paramedic were hospitalized in critical condition. Remarkably, no other individuals on the busy Highway 50 sustained injuries despite the aircraft crash-landing in the middle of the road. Sylvia described how witnesses observed the helicopter descending rapidly, prompting traffic to slow down.
One of the injured individuals was trapped beneath the helicopter wreckage until rescue teams, along with bystanders, managed to lift the aircraft and free her. Witnesses reported seeing white smoke billowing from the crashed helicopter, with images showing a long line of traffic along the highway.
Mike Carrillo, a representative from the Valley Division of California Highway Patrol, confirmed the closure of the eastbound lanes of Highway 50 as emergency personnel continued their operations at the scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
REACH Air Medical Services, the operator of the helicopter, expressed condolences and stated they are investigating the situation and monitoring the condition of their crew members who were taken to local hospitals.
Sacramento City Councilwoman Lisa Kaplan shared her experience witnessing the incident while on a law enforcement ride-along, emphasizing the dedication of emergency responders and medical pilots.
The Sacramento Fire Department issued a statement confirming the helicopter crash on EB US50 west of 59th St, with three critically injured victims from the aircraft and no involvement of other vehicles.
[Note: The CIPA notice at the end has been omitted for brevity and relevance.]
