The driver of the car, a 26 year old male, according to emergency personnel on scene received critical head and internal injuries after striking the windshield and the steering wheel. Apparently the driver was unrestrained, not wearing his seatbelt.

Home owner, Allan McMorris, indicated that he and his wife were sitting at the breakfast table when the car struck the tree. At that point he ran outside to investigate and found smoke coming from underneath the hood of the car and also noticed gasoline leaking from underneath the vehicle. Realizing the explosive nature of the situation he then ran back to his residence to retrieve a fire extinguisher from the house and extinguished the flames from the front of the vehicle.

The smoke had filled the interior of the car making it difficult for the injured driver to breath, the home owner acted quickly and retrieved a leaf blower and blew the smoke from within the vehicle allowing the driver to breath easier.  Emergency personnel arrived on scene and the driver was extricated by the Jackson Fire Department and CDF personnel and was transported by American Legion Ambulance for airlift to Sutter Roseville Hospital by AirMed2. The AirMed helicopter was delayed by Valley weather and had an extended arrival time. Witnesses on scene state that the driver appeared to just drift off the roadway at a high rate of speed speed.  The accident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol