KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Nine people were injured – several of them seriously – as the result of a two-vehicle head-on collision near Kelseyville late Friday night.

Firefighters were first dispatched to the wreck on Highway 29 near Kit’s Corner just before 10:30 p.m. Friday, according to radio reports.

Initially, authorities received calls of a crash in the area, with units responding to the scene reporting that they only found a dead mountain lion in the roadway.

Approximately 10 minutes after the wreck was dispatched, firefighters found the two vehicles – reported to be a Lexus and a Ford F150 pickup – about half a mile north of Kit’s Corner in the northbound lane.

Firefighters reported over the radio that major extrication was needed, and they asked for an air ambulance, another ground ambulance and rescue units.

Within minutes, firefighters reported from the scene that there were more patients and that more resources were required. A total of four air ambulances were requested, with landing zones set up at Kit’s Corner and at Konocti Conservation Camp.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Wink told Lake County News that multiple people had to be extricated from the wreckage.

The roadway was blocked by the crash, and law enforcement closed the highway in both directions, diverting traffic onto Soda Bay Road, according to radio reports.

Wink said that, altogether, nine people were transported to hospitals – four by air ambulances to out-of-county trauma centers, and five by ground ambulance to county hospitals.

He said those taken by air ambulance had injuries ranging from moderate to major, and the remaining five had minor to moderate injuries.

Wink said the call was Kelseyville Fire’s, and they were assisted by Cal Fire, Lake County Fire, Lakeport Fire and South Lake County Fire.

By 12:20 a.m. Saturday, all of the patients had been transported. Over the next 10 minutes, the incident was terminated, firefighters cleared the scene and the highway – the northbound lane of which had been reopened a short time earlier – was fully reopened, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Additional information on the crash and its cause will be published as it becomes available.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.