Accident sends 15 to YRMC

Fifteen people were injured Tuesday morning when a bus carrying field workers and a station wagon collided just outside of Somerton.

The accident happened near the area of County 13th Street and Avenue G just after 6:30 Tuesday morning, said Robby Rodriguez, spokesman for the Somerton/Cocopah Fire Department.

It was unclear what caused the accident, but Rodriguez said when his department arrived, the bus carrying more than 20 field workers was laying on its roof and rescue crews had to use the Jaws of Life, a hydraulic-powered metal prying tool, to get two passengers out of the station wagon.

Thirteen field workers and the two people in the station wagon were transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Rodriguez said the people in the station wagon were experiencing difficulty breathing and the 13 people in the bus had injuries that included neck and back pains.

Names of those injured were not available.

The accident is being investigated by the Yuma County Sheriff's Office, which was unavailable for comment Tuesday.