Three people were injured, one critically, early Sunday in a head-on crash on Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The collision occurred shortly after midnight near Rancho Alegre and Lake Cachuma, according to Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli.

He said one person had to be extricated from the wreckage by firefighters before being transported by American Medical Response ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with major injuries.

Two other people who sustained minor injuries also were taken to Cottage Hospital.

The collision was under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.