MORNING CRASHES INJURE 4 IN ACTON.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

A young mother driving with her 4-year-old son was among four people injured early Wednesday in two separate crashes in the Acton area, California Highway Patrol officials said.

Rachel Gottlieb, 21, of Lancaster and her son - who was not injured - were flown together to Providence Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills after her 1996 Toyota Corolla crashed shortly after 6:10 a.m. on the southbound Antelope Valley Freeway just north of Sierra Highway.

``For some unknown reason the driver drifted into the center median,'' CHP Officer A.J. Torres said. ``She overcorrected to the right and hit the hillside.''

Gottlieb was not wearing a seat belt. The boy was belted in, officials said.

Six hours earlier, three people were injured when their 1988 Hyundai Excel rolled off Sierra Highway and slammed into a power pole.

Officials said Anparo Garcia, 20, of Littlerock was driving east just after midnight when his car ran off a curve in Sierra Highway at Santiago Road.

``He went off the roadway and head-on into a utility pole,'' Torres said.

Firefighters spent 40 minutes using specialized tools to cut through the roof and free Garcia from the wreckage.

Garcia was airlifted to Providence Holy Cross Hospital, Mission Hills with moderate injures and a broken leg.

Passengers Guadalupe Ambriz, 22, and Alma Ambriz, 25, both of Palmdale, were transported to Antelope Valley Hospital. They were treated and released.

Officials said that they were still investigating both crashes but did not believe that alcohol was involved in either.