A Santa Paula woman escaped serious injury last week when she allegedly ran a red light before crashing into a traffic signal near Rio Mesa High School.
According to California Highway Patrol Officer Steve Reid, the accident occurred Thursday, November 3 at about 8:20 a.m. on Central Avenue at Rose Avenue in the unincorporated El Rio area of the county.
Cecilia Jimenez, 26, a resident of Santa Paula, was driving a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta as she was traveling eastbound on Central Avenue approaching Rose Avenue. “According to witnesses, Jimenez failed to stop at a red light and traveled into the intersection” and then the Jetta veered right, “ran off the roadway and struck a traffic light standard.”
Reid said Jimenez’s vehicle then overturned and came to rest on its roof on the south shoulder on Central Avenue, east of Rose Avenue. When CHP and fire department personnel arrived on scene they found Jimenez had been able to get out of her overturned vehicle.
Jimenez sustained a possible concussion and laceration to her right hand in the collision. After being treated on the scene by Ventura County Fire EMTs and AMR paramedics, she was transported by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center where she was treated for her injuries.
A portion of the busy intersection was closed briefly for the investigation and traffic diverted. Reid said the collision is still under investigation.
