A major head on collision between a minivan and a sedan killed four people and injured several others on Highway 50 Saturday evening in Placerville.

According to reports from local police, the crash took place at about 6 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of the freeway near Still Meadow Road where a westbound Toyota Prius with four people on board suddenly veered into oncoming traffic, slamming into a Toyota minivan.

Three passengers inside the Prius were pronounced dead at the scene by responding police and paramedics. The fourth occupant was rushed to a nearby hospital, and six aboard the minivan were also immediately taken to area hospitals, including a young child who was later pronounced dead.

The severity of injuries sustained is not known at this time, or the details of those who were killed in the crash. Police and the county coroner’s office are still working to notify their next of kin.

Not all those taken to the hospital from the minivan suffered injuries however, said the California Highway Patrol. Two one year old children who were properly restrained in their safety seats were unhurt in the crash; they were taken to the hospital purely as a precautionary measure.

The crash forced the shutdown of all eastbound lanes of Highway 50 for several hours as rescue crews cleaned the accident from the road and police investigators looked for any indications as to what may have caused the Prius to suddenly swerve into oncoming lanes. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor, or if the vehicle suffered some kind of mechanical malfunction.

For victims injured in accidents like these, the process for recovery can be a long and painful one. Fortunately, there are legal protections in place to help get them the compensation they need to cover things like medical bills, car repair payments, and even replace wages lost from time spent away from work. With the help of a well-trained Sacramento car accident lawyer, victims can receive the full amount that they are rightfully owed from those at fault.

At AA Accident Attorneys, we can guide you through this difficult time and help you onto the road to recovery as quickly as possible. We can carefully explain what options are available to you and gather together the strongest case to get you results.

As always, we will not charge you anything for our services until your case is won. If you’ve been hurt, do not hesitate to call us right away for a free evaluation and to learn about how our accident lawyers can help you today!