Five injured in Highway 65 crash Saturday

Five people were injured and four others escaped injury in a three-vehicle collision on Highway 65 south of Avenue 80 Saturday night, the California Highway Patrol reported.

A 13-year-old girl from Delano suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital in Fresno.

Three others were injured, a 64-year-old male from Bakersfield and two other Delano residents, ages 11 and 3, suffered minor injuries. They were taken to Sierra View District Hospital in Porterville.

According to the CHP, Juan Zuniga, 64 of Bakersfield was driving a 2007 Chrysler south on Highway 65, when Eduardo Velasquez, 23 of Wasco driving a 2006 Honda, was also southbound. Fernando Ferrel, 36 of Delano was in a 2007 Chrysler and was also southbound.

Zuniga was traveling at a high rate of speed and after clipping Velasquez’ vehicle, his vehicle ran into the back of Ferrel’s vehicle which skidded off the west side of the roadway and into a barbed-wire fence.

Ferrel’s vehicle overturned and continued in a southwest direction before colliding with a utility pole. Zuniga's vehicle ran off the east side of the roadway.

The accident occurred at 9:30 p.m.