Woman critically injured

EPHRATA - Ephrata firefighters rescued a woman whose head was trapped between the ground and an SUV near Basin Street Southwest Saturday afternoon.

Cynthia L. Powell, 49, was taken to Columbia Basin Hospital for treatment of critical injuries, the Ephrata Fire Department reported.

"Arriving firefighters found a Ford Explorer, which had traveled through (a fuel station) parking lot, went over a 3- foot embankment on the north side of the parking lot and rolled onto its passenger-side," the fire department reported. "The female driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was partially ejected out of the passenger side window, causing her head to become trapped between the vehicle and the ground."

Firefighters used extraction tools commonly known as the "jaws of life" to lift the vehicle off of her, the fire department advised. Powell was stabilized and removed from the vehicle.

She was transported to Columbia Basin Hospital for treatment and was later flown to Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane.

The collision is under investigation and citations are pending, Police Chief Joe Varick said.