Feb. 07--A 38-year-old Cosumnes Fire Department firefighter suffered major injuries early Saturday when he was struck by a car as he was responding to a traffic collision on Interstate 5, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The firefighter, Eric Oviedo, was responding to a 1:15 a.m. collision on the northbound side of I-5 about a quarter mile north of Lambert Road. The CHP said the incident began when a vehicle struck a tree about 50 feet off the east side of the highway.
CHP and firefighters responded and parked along the shoulder to provide aid, but a motorist in a Ford Econoline van driving on the highway failed to notice that traffic was slowing and struck the rear of a Honda Civic, officials said. That impact sent the Honda off the roadway and sliding through a grassy area where rescue workers were gathered.
Everyone but one firefighter was able to scramble out of the way, but the Honda struck the firefighter and threw him several feet, the CHP said. He was taken to an area hospital with what the CHP described as "major injuries."
"Thankfully, he's still with us," Fire Chief Tracey Hansen said in a telephone interview Saturday afternoon. "He's in stable condition and they're treating him at a local hospital.
"He suffered several fractured ribs, a pretty good head laceration, a concussion and lots of bumps and bruises."
The CHP said the incident did not appear to stem from the use of drugs or alcohol, and Officer Michael Bradley said no citations were issued pending an investigation.
Sam Stanton: 916-321-1091, @StantonSam
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