7 INJURED IN CRASH ON PEARBLOSSOM.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Seven people were injured, two men and three young boys critically, when a car ran a red light and collided head-on with another car on Pearblossom Highway at 25th Street East.

The collision occurred shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday when a 2005 Nissan Altima driven by Benjamin Ramirez, 24, of Sylmar went through a red light and crashed into a 2001 Toyota Avalon driven by 33-year-old Juan Gutierrez of Palmdale, who was just starting to make a left turn onto 25th Street East, sheriff's deputies said.

``If this had been a broadside accident, there would have been several people dead,'' Deputy Dale Lovvik said. ``The Avalon had barely started the turn. When they connected, it was front to front. There's 3 feet of crash on the front of a car. Side doors don't have 3 feet to give.''

The collision was first spotted by deputies in a Sheriff's Department helicopter that was flying over Palmdale, Lovvik said.

``As they were flying overhead and coordinating units to respond, the Nissan Altima caught on fire, and some passers-by stopped and were able to put it out with fire extinguishers,'' Lovvik said. ``The two people in the (Altima) were trapped, and passers-by were able to pull them to safety.''

A blood sample was taken from Ramirez to determine whether he had been drinking and driving, deputies said.

Inside the Avalon were Gutierrez, a woman and the three boys, 4, 6 and 9. The relationship of the five was not clear, but Gutierrez, the woman and two of the boys have the same last name, fire officials said.

The passenger in Ramirez's car was a 28-year-old man.

The three boys were taken by helicopter to Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center. They were accompanied by the woman, whose injuries were minor, fire Capt. James Lewis said. Gutierrez, who suffered minor injuries, was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital, where he was treated and released, hospital officials said.

Ramirez and the passenger in his car were flown by helicopter to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena.

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com