Sutter County pedestrian breaks legs in Highway 99 accident

One man was hospitalized with broken legs Friday after he was struck by a vehicle while walking on Highway 99 just south of Highway 20 in Yuba City.

The man, whose name was not available, was taken by air ambulance to Sutter Roseville Medical Center, authorities said.

"Looks like he has two broken femurs and lacerations to his head and his left elbow," said Krista Blackwell, a licensed vocational nurse who happened to witness the crash.

The man was struck by a young woman driving a gray Nissan Sentra at about 5 p.m. in the northbound lane of Highway 99, just a few feet from Woodward Street.

The teary-eyed woman confirmed hitting the man, but declined further comment.

Blackwell, a Yuba City nurse for more than five years, stepped out of her car to help and said she prevented other people from moving the victim.

"I just told them to leave him alone, and I made sure he was stable and that nobody touched him until emergency responders arrived," Blackwell said.

Traffic was shut down in both lanes of Highway 99 while the medical helicopter collected the victim. The northbound lane was reopened around 5:40 p.m., but the southbound lane remained closed for at least another 30 minutes.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call the Yuba City Police Department at 822-4660.

CONTACT Rob Parsons at rparsons@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4785. Find him on Facebook at /ADcrimebeat or on Twitter at @ADcrimebeat.