3 badly hurt in El Camino Real bridge crash

Three people suffered major injuries in a Saturday night collision that left one car’s front end dangling off the El Camino Real bridge over the dry San Dieguito River.

A 77-year-old woman was headed north in a GMC Envoy about 6:50 p.m. when the SUV slammed into a guard rail after coming out of a curve, crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a Mazda Miata head-on, police Officer Robert Heims said.

The impact knocked the Miata through the guardrail. The engine compartment dangled over the bridge but the front tires remained on the pavement, fire Battalion Chief Jeff Mitchell said.

It took firefighters about 20 minutes to free the Miata driver, a 53-year-old woman, and its passenger, a 53-year-old man, officials said. The SUV’s driver had to be cut free from the wreckage. Three ambulances took the injured to a trauma center. One person’s injuries were life-threatening.

Alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash, police said.

The bridge was closed during the rescues.