SUQUAMISH – A 38-year-old Indianola woman was taken to Harrison Hospital by paramedic unit this afternoon after her vehicle struck a tree on Miller Bay Road near Soundview Boulevard just after 3 p.m. She reportedly swerved to avoid oncoming traffic in her lane.

North Kitsap Fire & Rescue responded after bystanders called 911 to report the collision. The woman’s hand was trapped between the crumpled driver-side door and the steering wheel, according to NKF&R spokeswoman Michele Laboda. Firefighters arrived on scene in less than five minutes, and found the late model minivan with severe driver-side damage.

A paramedic began treating the woman’s injuries immediately while firefighters used a special reciprocating saw to cut the wheel in two places and freed her in about 20 minutes. She was taken to the Bremerton hospital with injuries thought to be significant but not life-threatening.

Officers from the Suquamish Police Department, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Patrol responded to the scene. Miller Bay Road was limited to one lane of travel for about thirty minutes while crews worked.